UNDENIABLE
by Nostalgicmiss
Summary: A challenge from Miztrezboo, 10 pictures, 10 Chapters. Emmett and Bella. Emmett is a successful Music producer, Bella the daughter of a Fallen Hollywood Power Couple, what happens when chance has them meet? OOC, AH. Rated M.
1. Loneliness

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

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**Loneliness**

_Don't lose your faith in me_  
_ And I will try not to lose faith in you_  
_ Don't put your trust in walls_  
_ 'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall_  
**_Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne_**

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Emmett . . .**

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The dulcet tones of Rosalie Hale's voice were swirling around the huge venue. From where Edward and I were sat backstage, we could see her clear as day, but the audience beyond was a mere shadow occasionally caked in reds and blues as the lights danced above them.

This was the final stop on her world tour. A home crowd that wouldn't even recognize her if she was to walk by them on the street. She wore stage make-up and wigs, the colors always varying but her favorite was fire engine red because it matched most of her wardrobe changes.

Rosalie was the first person we'd signed when we'd decided to start up Grizzly Records, and she'd been worth every cent we'd spent on getting her to the level of fame she was at. She could work a crowd anywhere, and her improvised speeches in between sets had them hanging on every word she said.

The crowd weren't the only ones hanging on her every word either. Edward was leaned forward in his seat, his eyes wide as he watched her ass swinging to the beat of her music.

It wasn't exactly a new revelation. Edward had been enamored with her since the day he'd met her, and now he was finally getting to show the world exactly how he felt about her. He was planning on proposing the moment they were alone. Almost a year with her being gone had made him realize he didn't want to be without her.

He was my cousin; I loved him like a brother, but I still wasn't sure about his choice. Rosalie was an amazing person; she was beautiful, charismatic and oddly humble considering her success, but she wasn't what I would consider the settling type. I knew she loved Edward, she had since the beginning, but I wondered if it was enough.

Who was I kidding? I was simply jealous.

I tried to shake off that last thought as I sat back on the dilapidated couch. I didn't want Rosalie, so the jealousy in that respect was out, she was like the annoying kid sister you wanted to hook under your arm and rub her hair until it tuned into a giant birds nest.

No, I was jealous of their relationship. Their happiness. Edward had been smart about it; he knew what he wanted so he took it, and that was before we'd seen any kind of success. Now we were recognizable and women who were looking for a start in the industry were throwing themselves at us left and right. I couldn't trust that what they wanted was me anymore. Now I always had this cynical view that they wanted something else. Fame, money, a taste of the life.

Edward called me paranoid, but I was practical, and this was my reality.

The music cut off and the crowd cheered in excitement. I could see Rosalie and the guys heading in our direction backstage. She flew into Edward's arms and showered him with kisses. Their plane had got in late, so they hadn't had time to really get reacquainted before the show. I stepped away and gave them space.

"Emmett," Peter shouted, punching my shoulder. He was Rosalie's brother and drummer, and one of my closest friends. We'd worked so closely with them because they were our first clients. We'd staked everything on them, but they were like family now, and if Edward's plan went well, they would be family.

"What the hell are you wearing?" I chuckled, finally getting a good look at him, now he was out from behind the drum kit. He looked like a cowboy on acid. His cowboy hat perched on his head and his favorite boots on his feet, while his clothes looked like acid punk throwbacks from the late 70's, early 80's.

"Rose insists I fit in with the band's look. I added a bit of me in with it." He shrugged with a smirk. "She hates the hat."

"I don't hate the hat," Rosalie sighed, wrapping her arms around my waist as she gave me a hug. "The hat's you, Pete. I just think you need to keep that part of you off the stage."

I hugged her back and ruffled her red wig as I stepped back, and she slapped me on the arm for my effort. Straightening the strands I'd knocked out of place, she looked back at her brother. They looked alike in some ways. She was only eighteen months older, but they shared the same blond hair and blue eyes.

"It's part of who I am, and where we come from," Peter added pointedly. Their family had moved them to California from Texas when they were in their early teens. Peter had loved Texas, but Rosalie preferred it here.

"We're not a country act though."

"Guys," I interrupted, nodding at the stage, realizing that if they continued down this road they'd both get pissed off. "Time for you to go crowd pleasing."

Rosalie leaned in and gave Edward a kiss before dancing back out onto the stage. Peter made his way back to the drums with a little bit less enthusiasm. I could tell he was deflated from the comments, but Edward had insisted hiring a stylist for their next album release so it was a moot point.

"Hey Emmett," Edward said, finally dragging his eyes from Rosalie. "About tonight . . ."

"Already got your back, bro," I mused, slapping him on the shoulder with a raised eyebrow. I'd been staying with him while I had my place painted and I could definitely take a hint. "I'm taking Peter to the poker game tonight, and I'll cover for you with the rest of the guys. You're free for the night and I am gone."

"Thank you."

I shrugged. The lucky bastard had his girl back and I was going out to a poker game with her brother. This was my fucking life. Stogies and Cognac in some hotel room so we'd get left alone. We weren't supposed to smoke in the rooms, which was why we always ended up with a room that had some kind of balcony.

It wasn't a bad life, but it was empty.

It was better than the alternative though.

I thought back to the last time I'd gotten laid. She was a natural red head; the carpet matched the drapes if you know what I mean. We'd met in some dingy bar on the other side of town. I'd figured no one would recognize me there and I could drown my sorrows.

Her name was Victoria. Her hips swayed when she walked and when she came through that door with the tiny black dress hugging her body, I knew I was in trouble. My dick had been like a dowsing rod and without any conscious thought I'd moved in her direction.

There was no doubt in my mind that she knew who I was, and my suspicions were confirmed the moment she stepped up to the karaoke machine and trained her eyes on me through the most provocative version of _The Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin, _I'd ever had the pleasure to witness.

Her voice had been decent, but by this point I'd heard the same kind of thing for six hours a day, six days a week, for almost a year. Nothing about this chick stood out other than her tight ass and deep red hair. Now, I'm not the kind of guy to use my status to get laid, not on purpose, but when a chick like that throws herself at you, it's a force of nature.

I'd never had head while driving until I met Victoria. I'd offered to drive her home, and she'd accepted. As much as my body responded to her, I was planning on simply taking her home and going on my merry way. Women like this thought offering sex would get them ahead. I didn't want to give her the wrong idea.

Not that I got much choice in the matter. The dome light was still fading when her fingers reached for my dick and massaged it through the denim. It had been so long since I'd got action with anything other than my hand that I let it happen.

It was almost six hours straight of sex. I guess the dry period gave me more stamina, because like the energizer bunny, I kept going and going and going. She passed out beside me, her hair splashed across the pillows as her breathing fell into a deep rhythmic lull.

Like an asshole, I left her while she slept with a note on her pillow saying thanks for a good night.

That had been almost four months ago. I'd had to have Jessica, my assistant, lie to her when she called a week later. Thankfully Jess was a quick thinker; she sent her some flowers with an apology for leaving so suddenly and a polite decline, explaining that we weren't seeing anyone new at the moment.

Since then I'd steered clear of all musicians. Well more than musicians, women in general. Jessica had offered to set me up with a cousin of hers but I'd declined, that would just get messy if things didn't work out. Jessica was good at her job and I wouldn't find anyone else like her. She was happily married, which was another huge bonus.

The band finished their encore and the stage went black as the crowd roared their appreciation, bringing me back to the present. It was always gratifying to hear how much they appreciated the show; fans were the ones that bought the albums and made the company a success.

Rosalie was spotlighted, bringing the crowd to a gentle wave of mumbles. As always she thanked everyone for coming and mentioned that they were working on a new album, which sent the crowd into another round of rabid applause.

Once again they fell into darkness as the crowd demanded more, but that was it. There was no more left to offer and Rosalie was already pulling off her wig and letting the natural, almost white-blonde hair loose to tumble down her back as she fell into Edward's arms.

The emptiness hit again in another wave through my body. I was a sentimental idiot today, it seemed. I guess not having been witness to this while the band was on tour had given me a reprieve from my loneliness. I would be fine once I was away from them. There was no easing back into watching the happy couple find reasons to touch one another or kiss as there had been in the beginning. I had to man up and get on with my life.

"Hey, Peter, you up for poker tonight?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods, my friend?" he countered with a laugh.

"In theory."

Peter rolled his eyes but handed one of the road crew his sticks and headed to the talent's dressing room, followed by the guitarist and bassist. Edward and Rose had already gone so I was alone, watching the crowd file out into the night.

I needed a drink. This whole night had been one continuous nightmare of memories and wakeup calls. I needed to stop thinking so damn much.

I hated feeling sorry for myself. We'd managed to build the company up to something substantial. We were bringing in money and employing more people every week. We were a success story, living the American dream.

It wasn't like I fell into this well of self pity that often. When I did, it hit hard. I got drunk, but I woke up feeling better. Being single really wasn't that bad after all, and I had my golden retriever, Baxter, to go home to. I just wasn't into the whole mindless sex scene. I couldn't screw a woman and walk away without feeling guilty, yet who could I say that to and not be called a giant pussy. I knew if someone said that to me it would be my come back.

"Emmett, you ready or what?" Peter asked, looking more like himself.

I nodded and took one last look at the stage before following Peter out the back to my car. We hadn't been in the car for ten minutes when he regaled me with the stories of his conquests. They'd been pretty much everywhere around the world. Edward had joined them at least once a month since they'd started, but it was Peter and the guitarist, Jacob, that seemed to have the best stories.

It seemed that the girls throwing themselves at their feet were an open season for them to go with it. I could understand that to an extent, but I was also aware of our publicity department having to cover up some of the messes they'd left behind.

"You have to be more careful, Peter."

"Oh I learned my lesson, big man. Don't you worry about me. Not to mention that piranha of a publicist you sent out has a tongue like a whip. She was pissed," he grinned. There was no remorse in the statement though. Peter wouldn't apologize for his actions, and no one really expected him to. It wasn't exactly news in this industry.

"I know. She called me the morning after and threatened to let you clean up your own messes in the future. You gave her a hard time?"

Peter smiled, his usual sly smirk curling his lips. He knew I wasn't going to bust his balls over it, that's why we'd hired her. She was the toughest chick out there when it came to this shit. No one particularly liked her, but she could cover up a mess in one conversation.

"Let's just say she's not completely resistant to the Hale charm."

My laughter filled the interior of the car as I looked over at one of my best friends in amazement. "You thawed out the ice queen?"

"A couple times."

"You got balls. I wouldn't even try. She's a grade A bitch, but good at her job."

"She purred like a kitten, my friend."

"You realize you're fucked if she gets attached," I chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

"Naw man, she was cool. She went back to her chilly self and I continued on doing what I was doing. You ain't got nothing to worry about."

"I wasn't worried about me," I clarified, smirking. Only Peter could get away with something like that. He had just as much charisma as Rosalie, he just chose to apply it in a different way, mostly chasing women.

"So how about you? Any ladies catching your eye. Did you finally get laid?"

"You make it sound like I live a monk's life."

"You do. All these hot chicks throwing themselves at you and you deflect. Not healthy, man."

I wasn't about to admit that I was tired of empty, meaningless sex. Peter lived for that shit and the last thing I wanted was for him to call me out for being a girl. I was well aware of how my need for emotional attachment made me sound like a pussy.

"I nailed a fiery red head a couple months ago, but she got clingy. Jess had to clear that shit up."

"A couple months? How the fuck do you last that long?"

I wiggled my fingers and grinned. Way too much information, but this was Peter. Too much info wasn't in his vocabulary. I think I could retell most of his more elaborate lays; he liked giving details. Which was one of the reasons we'd had to hire the publicist in the first place. He liked to drink after the show and didn't always use the right head to think with.

"You gotta have some magic fingers to abstain that long."

I rolled my eyes and pulled into the valet outside this week's hotel, again avoiding telling him the truth._  
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_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	2. The Road Less Traveled

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

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**The Road Less Traveled  
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_ Your words still serenade me  
Your lullabies won't let me sleep  
I've never heard such a haunting melody  
Oh, it's killing me  
You know I can barely breathe  
**The Crow & The Butterfly by Shinedown**_

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Bella . . .**

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**The last strum of the guitar hung in the air, the notes dancing through the nondescript hotel room. My eyes fluttered open and I couldn't help but look over at my dad. His skilled fingers still held the last note as a small smile graced his lips.

My dad, Charlie Swan, had been playing for as long as I could remember and beyond. We'd been a duo since I was nine, but he'd been something amazing. His name alone would give us the sold out crowds that payed for the hotels like the one we were currently occupying. He'd been one of the biggest artists of his time.

I had all of his albums; I'd learned all of his songs, but he refused to play them. They'd all been from before _she'd_ died, and he couldn't bring himself to go back to that time and rehash their past. One argument and her delicate, fragile nature had pushed her to take her own life.

He still blamed himself.

I knew what a crock of shit that was. People argue all the time and survive. I remembered the argument. I remembered because I was sat on the stairs of a house that was too big for the three of us and listened to the rising voices of the two people I loved the most. They were fighting about me.

Dad wanted to move out of Hollywood and save me from the life they'd both led for so long. He wanted to keep me away from the public eye and keep me safe, but mom didn't want to commute. He called her selfish, and in her familiar, dramatic, silver screen exit she fled the room.

I remember watching her silk robe dancing behind her as her bare feet slapped the marble. I remember because it was the last time I saw her alive. She left a note saying how sorry she was and how much she loved us both, but there was never anything saying why she did it. Dad always said it was because he pushed her too hard, that she'd had enough pressure with her new role, without adding to it.

Now he was adamant about protecting me. He called our little show his retirement fund. I knew better though. I knew why he refused to let the producers into the shows, and the talent scouts talk to me directly. I knew, because his current wife Sue had been the one to tell me.

He didn't want them to push me. He didn't want me to be like her.

Dad thought the fame and pressure of Hollywood had swallowed mom whole and spat her out. What he didn't see was it was her own weakness, her selfishness that pushed her to do what she'd done. I had too much of my father in me to be like _her_.

I knew I sounded cold-hearted and callous, but being left behind at nine because your mother felt overwhelmed, had a reverse effect on me. It made me angry; it made me bitter and it made the walls around me stronger. I wasn't a child by any means. I was twenty-four years old for fuck's sake, but I followed dad's rules because it was what I wanted for now. He just didn't know about who I was when I was away from him.

"Hey, you two," Sue called and snapped the picture the moment we looked. She grinned at the LCD screen and pressed some buttons. If our little, two man band had an official photographer it would have been Sue. She was in charge of our website and the blog, the only promotional tools dad would allow. "It's beautiful. It's a shame it will never get used as an album cover. It . . ."

"Sue, please don't start," Dad replied, his eyes slightly harder around the edges. He and Sue have never argued; they talk about everything, but he walks away long before he ever raises his voice. I had three choices. Go to my room, go anywhere else, or stay and listen to them "talk".

The latter had never been an option for me and it never would be either. I knew I had to get out but I also had an idea my room would feel suffocating. I missed our small ranch out in Wyoming. I missed our horses and dogs, and I missed my best friend Alice. This was the longest we'd ever been on the road. He missed this, and Sue and I were along for the ride, not that I minded. I may have missed home but I craved these shows; I loved our life on stage.

All this thinking wasn't doing me much good and there was sure to be more of it if I went to my room, so I decided to find the closest bar and get hammered.

"I think I'm going to go out for a while."

"Where?" Dad asked, laying his guitar gently by the side of the bed. This was the part I hated about traveling with him. He seemed to forget I was old enough to make my own decisions and mistakes. He didn't realize that daddy's little girl was now a woman, who was nothing like the girl she pretended to be in front of him. The only person who really knew me was Alice, and sometimes Sue when I let her in enough to see it.

"Charlie, she's almost twenty-five. She doesn't have to tell you where she's going," Sue chimed in, obviously realizing I needed some time alone. This was the reason the two of us got along so well. Her daughter Leah and son, Seth, were running the ranch with dad's foreman Sam Uley. Leah, Seth and I got along well. Their dad died about two years before dad met Sue. We understood one another and accepted we were family, however unconventional we may be. Sue trusted her kids to make the right decisions and she treated me with the same respect.

Charlie grumbled under his breath in response, but dropped the matter. I think he knew I'd end up doing what I wanted in the end. I was too much like him not to. He didn't really know about my drinking, but I think he assumed I did when I would join them for breakfast with dark glasses and Tylenol. It was just another something we never talked about.

I gave Sue a wink and rolled off the bed, pulling on my flats as I went. I pulled my messenger bag over my head and left the room without looking back. Dad's glare of disapproval would only make me feel guilty about being myself and I wasn't in the mood for that. I'd so much as look at him the same way mom would and he'd wrap me in cotton wool and put me in his pocket so I wouldn't break. He didn't realize how resilient I really was, how much I'd gone through, how much I hid from him.

He thought I would break if I gave out my heart to someone. I'd built a wall of my own making, but he was the one that reinforced it with steel. I'd had one steady boyfriend in my life, but even then it hadn't lasted long because I couldn't let him in. Since then it had been a couple of guys that I never intended to see again. I had an itch, I scratched it. It was as simple as that.

I ambled down toward the bay of elevators and pressed the button, ignoring the sounds of laughter and shouting coming from the room closest to me. All of the voices were male and they were loud. As soon as the elevator dinged the door flew open and a head came out.

"You're not Emmett," he laughed, his blond hair a mess.

"You never know, I could be," I challenged, stepping inside the elevator.

"Nope, too short. You could come and join us if you like. It's poker night, but I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind another player."

"I could, but I'm going to decline. Maybe some other time."

"Shame," the guy countered, stepping out of the door as the elevators slowly started to meet. "I'm James, and you are?"

"You'll never know," I shot off as the doors met in the middle with a gentle thud.

The whirring of the cables signified I'd escaped easily and no buttons were pressed to delay my exit. The guy hadn't been bad looking, he just wasn't my type. If I even had a type.

It was going to be one of those days. I already had a bit of an itch and scratching it tonight wasn't an option. Dad's question of where I was going meant he would inevitably be checking up on me at some point. The last thing I needed was to be caught in the act by daddy dearest. I doubted I would ever get rid of the blush. Sure I was twenty-four, but his reply was always the same, I would always be his little girl.

It was nauseating most of the time, but it was also endearing. It meant he cared. I just wished he wasn't so damn vigilant.

The doors slid open with another ding and I hit the brick wall before I even had a chance to look up. He was huge, at least six foot four, and his dimpled smile had my lips curling in response.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking," I said, stepping around him and hiding the blush under my hanging hair. This was definitely new. I didn't do demure, but here it was screaming from my body as my hands pushed my hair back starting at my forehead.

"I think I caught you by surprise. I was standing too close to the door," he offered, his hand raising to the door to stop it from closing.

The blond guy beside him, who looked vaguely familiar snorted and hit the button inside the elevator. He gave me an appreciative sweep, but instead locked on his friend his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Come on, Emmett. We're late."

"Emmett?" I asked, backing away a step and smiling even more. "Your friend James mistook me for you. I think he's waiting on y'all."

Emmett smiled and stepped back into the elevator looking unsure about the ascent he was about to take, his fingers running through the dark curls on his head. I lifted my hand in a little wave as the door closed, and turned with a smile. I wasn't sure what just happened, but it definitely brightened the evening prospects for me.

"Hey!"

I turned to see the dimpled smile at the door of the elevator and couldn't help the spontaneous laughter that followed.

"For the record, you look nothing like me, and James is an idiot."

His blond friend slapped him on the back and fell against the elevator wall laughing as Emmett stepped back inside and waited for the doors to close once again. Smiling broadly, I spun on my heel and walked away, hoping there was a bar close by so I could stumble into him on the way back to my room.

As fate would have it, there was a bar just across the street, its lights bright and the neon of the beer signs sung out to me. I ran across the street, ignoring the pedestrian crossing twenty feet to my left and stepped inside, smiling as the smell of beer and stale cigarette smoke danced around me.

The classic rock filled the air and the undulating bodies on the tiny dance floor seemed oblivious to my presence, which was just the way I liked it. It meant I could sit at the bar and drink myself stupid without the eyes of people wondering what a girl was doing in a dark bar alone. All too often I was accosted by some drunk guy thinking I was some naive teen who'd somehow managed to get a fake ID.

This was always where my bitch came out to play. I didn't like being rude, but when you'd been harassed to the point of moving five times in the space of twenty minutes, you generally learned how to verbally shut someone down.

"What can I get for you?"

"Shot of crown and a Budweiser."

"Got some ID?" he asked, his smile genuine.

I handed him my license and gave him a smile. Hoping he wouldn't see my last name and figure it out. Sometimes I got lucky. The younger the person behind the bar, the less likely they were to remember my dad. Unfortunately, this guy recognized the name off the bat.

"Swan, huh?"

"Yeah," I answered, scrunching my nose in displeasure. It was a big shadow to sit in, not that I was ever going to get the opportunity to step out of it. Dad would fight tooth and nail if I ever even attempted to get out there by myself. It wasn't that I didn't understand the why. I knew why, what pissed me off was him having no faith in me. That he couldn't see how much stronger I was compared to her.

"You dad was an amazing artist."

"Thanks."

"First round's on me."

"Thanks." I smiled as I slid up onto a stool, my fingers playing with the napkins the guy had laid out for me as I waited for my drinks. Being dad's daughter had it's perks, especially when you got free liquor out of the deal. The moment the shot glass was down in front of me I knocked it back like a skilled pro. The bitter sweet liquor coated my throat and burned its trail down to my gut making me shudder. Two fluid ounces of pure heaven if you asked me.

"Would you like another?"

"Please."

He poured the liquor in my glass and gave me another smile and I knew what he wanted to ask. I gave him a subtle nod, hoping I wasn't going to regret giving him the opportunity to ask whatever it was on his mind.

"You guys playing a show here?"

"Yeah, I think so. No clue where, dad normally meets with the owner to arrange the details before we play."

"Is it true he doesn't play his old stuff?"

"Oh it's true," I sighed knocking back the shot and enjoying the burn. "In fact, he doesn't even sing anymore."

"You mean . . .?"

I nodded and took a mouthful of beer, enjoying the bitter taste as it mingled with the Crown. I hated admitting dad didn't live up to his talent anymore. Not everyone remembered what happened to my mom, so their next question generally was a why or if they did remember they put the pieces together. Thankfully, my new friend was neither and simply nodded in understanding.

"Let me know if there's anything I can get you."

"Thanks."

One of the worst parts of playing with dad was dealing with the fans who wondered why he didn't sing. They would request songs of his and beg him to at least play them and let me sing them, but he always politely declined, his face moving into that stoic mask of indifference as he forced himself through the set and then hustled us out of there.

I wasn't sure exactly what he expected was going to happen when people saw his name on the bill. It happened at practically every show but he declined every time and ignored the pleading of the crowd that had been fans from the original days of his golden years.

Inevitably, they always came to me next, and as much as I wished to give them what they wanted, Dad would never agree to it. So I politely apologized and moved on with the songs he'd written for me. The songs that were filled with every ounce of his sorrow at the loss of my mother and every inch of his love for me. The lyrics haunted me, but there was nothing I could do. When I wrote a song he would consider it, and only one had ever made it into the playlist.

It was a song about my life, a song about a caged soul that never had room to spread her wings and be herself.

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_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	3. Folding

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

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**Folding  
**

_ If I loose the sequence here and there  
Less derring do than quiet care  
Can I rely on you  
For a good talking to  
To be for me the everthere, everthere  
**Everthere by Elbow**_

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Emmett . . .**

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**"Emmett, you normally have to get out of the way of the door so it can close," Peter chuckled behind me. My eyes were still following the beautiful brunette as she shot across the street. I had no idea who she was, but there was something familiar about her that I couldn't place. I also couldn't keep my damn eyes off her.

It wasn't until she disappeared into the dive across the street that I stepped back into the elevator and punched Peter playfully in the arm. He hadn't made that little interaction any easier with his laughter. Not that I'd paid him much attention. My eyes were too busy drinking in the curves of her body and the fullness of her dusted rose lips.

The doors finally closed and I leaned back against the cool metal of the walls.

"Man, she was hot."

Hot wasn't the word for her, but I wasn't going to say that out loud and start another round of Peter's laughter at my expense. So I simply nodded in agreement. There had been no flicker of recognition in her eyes when she'd looked at me. That's always the first thing I notice when people looked at me like that, but there was nothing but a coy shyness Those beautiful brown eyes smiling at me even when it wasn't reflected on her lips.

She had no idea who I was.

Not that it mattered. I wasn't sure why I was so fixated on her, but it wasn't because of her not knowing who I was. It wasn't like I believed in the whole love at first sight bullshit either. It was more my dick twitching as she smiled, as her fingers danced through her mahogany hair, and those eyes. I wasn't a monk; I got stiff more often than I liked to admit, but the two heads coming together to think as one was definitely different.

"You still thinking about the hottie? Or is this your poker face?" Peter snorted, his fist making contact with my shoulder as his cocky smile formed.

"Get off my balls, Hale. You know you're a real pain in the ass sometimes," I taunted back, elbowing him as the ding of the elevator sounded.

"I live to be a pain your ass."

"You succeed. Maybe you should think about a change in careers. Your drumming skills leave a lot to be desired."

"Low blow," Peter said, feigning hurt, his hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture.

The doors slid open slowly revealing James' smiling face. No wonder the girl had run into him, he had been waiting for us. James was like a leech; he was one of our technicians in the studio and the biggest kiss ass I knew. He was good at his job though, so I tolerated him outside of the studio for poker games. He set them up and arranged the time and place, and we didn't have to lift a finger to help. It was a perfect arrangement.

"Where's Edward?"

"Getting laid, my friend," Peter answered for me. He stepped past James and slapped him on the back as he passed. "He didn't buy that big shiny ring for nothing."

"You know about that?"

"Hell yeah, Dad called me while we were on tour. Edward went and asked his permission. The old man told him it was Rose's choice."

I followed Peter and James into the room where Laurent, Tyler and Marcus were already at the table.

"'Bout fucking time, where the hell have you been?" Marcus asked, swirling the cognac in his glass with an air of arrogance. Edward and I had gone to college with most of these guys so this little show was all part of the package.

"It's called work, fucktard. You should try it sometime."

Marcus was an arrogant fuck. His wife, Nina, came from a wealthy family and he didn't have to do anything but sit in a big office downtown looking like he was doing something. He made sitting on his ass playing computer games a career, but he didn't see how arrogant and cocky it made him, especially when he liked to dip his wick on the side. As far Nina was concerned, he played poker three nights a week.

"You're funny, Peter. You call what you do work?"

"The ladies take a lot of work, bro."

The laughter filled the room as Laurent shuffled the cards. We sat down and settled in for the game, the banter never ending as the bottle of Cognac was passed around. It was all so familiar, our weekly ritual. Laurent and Tyler worked together, so the shop talk through a hand only seemed to bore the rest of us to death. They both worked in insurance. If we hadn't been friends in college I never would have been in a circle of friends that included them. Apart from lawyers, they were in one of the most hated professions out there.

The three of us headed to the balcony after every hand and sucked on the expensive cigars Marcus' wife bought for our games. From where I was stood I could see the bar below, the neon signs and the brightly lit name like a beacon. All I could think about was the girl sat inside. Probably drinking a cold beer alone as some drunk assholes hit on her.

My elbows hit the concrete balcony as my eyes stayed trained on the doors and the conversation behind me was tuned out. I looked away once the neon was seared to the back of my eyelids. I could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, stretching over the bay, the low lying clouds hiding the very top of the suspensions. It really was a beautiful city.

We had built the studio close to South Bay after looking at pre-constructed shit holes had become too much of an image crusher. We bought land and built the building up, adding as we needed to expand. The building cut into the cliffs, but we kept it simple and aesthetically pleasing. My favorite part was the reception area with its floor to ceiling windows looking out over South Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Being in a residential area, it simply looked like a beautifully elaborate house.

My home was a couple of miles south, on the beach. It was beautiful there, but I'd had to have it renovated to my specifications. They'd finished the painting, so I'd moved most of my things back in and was just staying with Edward until the fumes finally died out. Baxter was getting on in years and I didn't want to subject him to that.

The door to the bar opened and the classic rock filtered through to the street and up to the balcony pulling me out of my thoughts. My eyes trained on the door looking for the face I'd seen downstairs, but there was a couple going in rather than coming out. Peter clapped me on the back as though he knew what I was waiting for, but spared me his infinite, womanly wisdom by suggesting playing some more cards.

We played three more hands and I won two, but the cards just weren't holding my attention. My dick seemed to be thinking for me at this point, and the hot brunette was the star of its little fantasy.

I wasn't sure what it was about her that had caught my attention. She was hot, there was no doubt about that, but it wasn't just about that. I met hot chicks every day, and as arrogant and conceited as it sounded, most of them threw themselves at me. What had really caught my attention was the look in her eye and her playful demeanor as she gave as good as she got. The blush that stained her cheeks, the haunted look in her eyes that was obviously hiding behind layers or years of practice.

She was an open book and mysterious at the same time, and I couldn't place where I knew her from. She sure as hell didn't know me.

"Emmett?"

"Yeah?" I started, finally dropping the mental image I had been clinging to. It seemed the only thing that had my full attention was this mystery girl, and to me that was something new and worth pursuing. If she turned around and told me to fuck off I would, but I couldn't see how a conversation would hurt. I just owed it to myself to follow it up.

"Where's your head, man?"

"Following a brunette across the street," Peter pointed out for me. I gave him the finger and a smile. The fucker seemed to know me too well, or maybe my attraction was just too obvious. I had been watching her with my tongue hanging out.

It was still perplexing to me that a thirty second conversation had all of my attention.

"You know the rules, no ass around the table," Marcus pointed out, chewing the end of his unlit stogie. "If we did, Peter would never shut the fuck up."

"I take offense to that, asshole. If you fuckers weren't so interested I wouldn't bring it up."

Laurent smiled and raised an eyebrow as he dealt the cards around the table. We all knew that was bullshit, considering sex was practically a hobby for Peter it was almost always brought up.

"What, fucker?" Peter asked a little defensively.

"I didn't say a word."

"No but I can see you wanted to," Peter prompted.

"Drop it, Pete, they're fucking with you," I mused, slapping him on the shoulder. Peter was the most laid back person I knew. This little outburst was unlike him, and I could only put it down to the fatigue of the tour. He'd been gone a long time, yet this poker game and the banter had been going on nonetheless. I guess he was a little out of the swing of things.

"Fuck this shit. I'm out." Peter pulled his chips toward him and counted them out, grabbing the cash it amounted to, before pushing back his chair and pulling on his jacket. I watched him slowly and met his glare. This was uncharacteristic enough for me to realize there was something more going on than simply getting offended by these jackasses.

I followed his example and cashed out so I could do some damage control. It was obvious he wanted to talk about something, and I wasn't into the game.

"Nice guys, he's been traveling straight for a year and you fuckers just had to press his buttons," I said as the door swung shut behind Peter. "I'll see you next week, bitches."

The boys waved me off but put their heads back in the game as though there had been no interruption. It was the only boy's night most of them had considering they were married, so they weren't going to stop on our account. I followed Peter's path out the door and found him by the elevator, his sly smile curling his lips.

"What the hell was that about?" I asked, realizing it was all a show. The anger had completely depleted, leaving the usual calm demeanor I was used to.

"You can thank me later, big man."

"What?"

"I'm getting a cab home, you're going across the street and talking to that chick who has the attention of your two heads."

My hand clapped on Peter's shoulder and I shook him gently. The bastard didn't just know me, he had my back. He was giving me the opportunity to talk to the girl again. I just wasn't sure how to explain my reluctance. I had been thinking about it, all night if I was being honest with myself, but I didn't want her to think I was stalking her. It wasn't the greatest first impression to make.

"I know that look, Emmett. Don't be chicken shit."

"Not chicken shit. I just don't want to look like a stalker."

"You're such a fucking girl. We're men, it's what we do. Anyway she was checking you out just as much as you were checking her out. This could be your only chance to talk to her. I've never seen you this preoccupied about a chick."

"Shut up, asshole."

"I'm not busting your balls," Peter laughed, pressing the down button again. "I'm just saying take a fucking chance for once. You're miserable, and you're turning into this grumpy old bastard. "

"Fuck you," I guffawed, shoving him into the elevator as the doors slid open. "I'm not grumpy."

"You won't be if you get laid," he retorted, his eyebrows wiggling as he slapped an invisible ass he was banging.

"Yeah, because that's worked out so well for you in the past, you moody bastard."

"Okay, let me put this another way. If you don't, I will."

I had absolutely no doubt that he was not bullshitting, and the son of a bitch would succeed too. He turned on his Texas charm and the ladies were putty in his capable hands. The thought of that alone made me uncomfortable. I wasn't sure why, but I reasoned it out by thinking the chick looked too innocent to have to deal with Peter's shit. He was a good guy, but didn't come back for more.

"Fine, I'll give it a shot," I replied, against my better judgment. I knew he was right about it being my only shot to talk to her. I didn't know what room she was in, how long she was in town, or even her name. This fascination I seemed to have developed would stay with me, and for all I knew could become one of those things you looked back on.

Fuck, I was such a fucking girl.

"You sure about that? You look like the jury's still out," Peter challenged, his eyes looking to me then the door as his lips curled again. He was trying to get a rise out of me. Trying to get me to bite.

"Don't mock me, fucker. I said I'd go, back up off my balls."

"You'll thank me later."

I doubted it. Sure the chance of getting to know the girl a little better was sounding better by the second, but I didn't want to look like an asshole. There were no other options though, I either went or I didn't.

I wanted to go. I wanted to know this girl that had been plaguing my thoughts for the last hour or two.

Peter smirked the rest of the way down in the elevator and the walk outside. I had no idea why he looked so pleased with himself. There was a line of cabs outside the hotel. I gave Peter a shove toward them and jogged across the street. I took a deep breath and almost choked on my laugh as the cab flew by and Peter's voice flew by me.

"GET YOUR ASS INSIDE, CHICKEN SHIT."

I flipped a finger in the general direction of the cab and pushed open the door to the bar.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	4. Uninhibited

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Uninhibited  
**

_Are you my family?  
Can i stay with you a while?  
Can i stop off in your bed tonight?  
I could make you smile.  
In the morning i'll make you breakfast  
In the evening i'll warm the bed.  
**Siren Song by Bat for Lashes**_

**_

* * *

_  
Bella . . .**

**

* * *

**The buzz of the alcohol was now making my head feel like a tilt-a-whirl and gave me the warm and fuzzies. I pulled out my cigarettes and smiled as the guy behind the bar struck a match for me.

I wasn't a smoker, well not in the literal sense. I normally bought a pack in a bar vending machine and left behind what I didn't smoke as I stumbled home. It was always an indicator of how drunk I was. If I started chain smoking, I was obliterated. If I didn't light one up, I couldn't even get a buzz.

I didn't know what it was about the bitter taste in my mouth that went so well with beer, but it was just something I did. I blamed Alice, my best friend. We were drunk in her barn, it was her fifteenth birthday and her dad was a two packs a day kinda smoker. She wanted to try it, so we did. I almost hacked up a lung, but I enjoyed the taste of it as it mingled with the beer, so I had paired the two together since.

I exhaled and the white sinister cloud hung in the air around me. I watched as it took on a life of its own and danced around to unheard music. It separated and twisted before rising into the rest of the fog that hung above me.

I shifted in my seat a little and peeled the label from the empty in front of me. I was finally starting to feel numb.

My phone chose this particular moment to vibrate happily in my pocket. I wasn't sure how she knew, but she always did. Alice had a sixth sense for my misery and when I pulled out my phone I realized this was no exception. The text message was very clear.

'_There's a tear in my beer . . . What's with the mopey?_'

I couldn't help but smile at the phone. I missed the shit out of her. Alice and I had that rare friendship where we could say just about anything to one another an.d have an answer or snide comment to counter it. Even in the heat of the moment, when we'd have throw down, no holds barred screaming matches, we'd end up laughing and hugging it out.

'_Not mopey . . . Drunk!_' I typed in and slid the phone onto the bar.

I gave the guy behind the bar a smile and he wordlessly delivered me another bottle and a shot. I loved efficient bar tenders. They were under paid and few and far between. I would have to remember to tip him well; I had a credit card dad didn't know about. It wasn't that I was hiding it. I was twenty-four and perfectly capable of looking after myself. I just knew he'd ask questions I wasn't willing to answer.

My phone danced along the surface of the bar with my new response.

"_Same difference with you! How drunk are you? Will you be telling me I am the Monica to your Rachel again? Because I am so the Rachel!_'

'_No, you're the Monica. You have OCD, and you're neurotic! MWAH!_'

I slammed the shot in front of me and took a mouthful of beer to wash it down.

"Damn, you don't mess around do you?" A voice said from a little way down the bar. I refrained from rolling my eyes and turned my head in his direction as I stubbed out my cigarette, hoping my stare was as empty and full of contempt as it felt.

Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way. Hot with dimples, Emmett was sat two stools down, grinning at me. I actually found myself grinning back, which wasn't what I'd been going for. I had been hoping for an easy night with no complications, but he was definitely a complication I was willing to consider.

My phone danced along the bar again, dragging my eyes from Emmett.

'_I am not neurotic! But you're right on the money with the CDO! You sure you're ok?_'

'_Hot guy, dimples and curls at 3 o'clock! Never better bb! Call you later!_'

"Can I get you a drink . . .?"

"Bella," I finished for him, knowing full well he was fishing for my name. "And no cheesy comment about how it suits me or some shit. I swear my parents were high."

"Hippys?" he asked, nodding at the bar tender.

"Something like that," I grinned, patting the seat next to me. "I don't bite, Emmett."

"I do," he teased, but he slid from his seat and into the one next to me regardless. "So, Bella, what are you doing here in San Francisco?"

"Vacation with my dad and his wife," I lied, giving the guy behind the bar the eye as he dropped off another round of drinks. "How about you, Emmett?"

I didn't know why it was necessary to use his name so much. It was just another thing I did. I think it was to drill the name into my brain so I wouldn't call him some other inane name that didn't belong to him. I'd done that before and guys liked it even less than women did. Even when they barely knew you.

"Live here, have my whole life actually."

"Very nice. Significant others?" I inquired.

"None. You?" he shot back just as eagerly.

"A Border Collie I like to call Sunny. She has this whole pedigree name that's four words long, so I shortened it."

Emmett grinned. "I have a Golden Retriever, Baxter."

I took a mouthful of my beer and watched him do the same. This wasn't my usual line of questioning; I never got personal when talking to guys, there just wasn't a need for it. In two days we'd be moving on and I would never see them again. They didn't need to know the ins and outs of my life, but I couldn't seem to stop my verbal interrogation with Emmett.

I knew he was attracted to me, but it wasn't the same hot and heavy, fast-paced drive to get me into bed, this was different. I couldn't put a label on it and I wasn't sure I wanted to, even though it would just complicate things further.

"So how long are you in town?"

"Couple days, we're doing one of these tours down the West Coast," I lied again. It seemed I was filled with an endless stream of them, even if this one did have some ring of truth to it. I knew he would assume scenic tour, but it was far from it and I sure as hell wasn't going to correct him.

In the small silence that followed I wobbled slowly on my stool and stifled my groan. I was good and drunk, sitting in a stool and loosing my balance was a sure indication of that. Which meant my balance would be completely off.

I had at least three more shots and who knows how many beers as Emmett and I talked. Under the scrutiny of his eyes I could feel each one of my inhibitions fall away. The liquor and beer combined and flooded my body giving me the dutch courage I had been lacking before. This wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Do you dance?" I asked as the lull in conversation hit. The music was still classic rock, but it had moved to a slightly different decade where they were know as hair bands.

"Excuse me?" Emmett chuckled, putting his beer on the bar.

"Dance, you know, shake your groove thing?" I giggled, realizing I was probably slurring my words. The foggy thoughts funneling through my mind tried to process it, but it was useless. I was toasted.

"No, not usually," he guffawed, but held out his hand to me anyway. "I guess I could make an exception though."

I took his hand and fell off the stool in a smooth move. My cheek smashed against his hard chest and almost knocked the air out of me.

"You got a bulletproof vest on under there?" I teased as he led me to the small parquet square in the middle of the bar. We dodged and weaved through the, chairs stumbling and laughing.

"Why? Do I need one?" he mused, twirling me onto the floor and pulling me back at him.

"No, but steel toed boots could be useful," I answered breathlessly as I came back against his chest.

"Why? You got two left feet?"

"No." I shook my head and ended up with hair in my mouth. "I'm just really drunk."

"In that case," Emmett shouted over the music, his infectious smile bringing out my own. "You may need some too."

I threw my head back and laughed as the song whirled to another. Emmett's arms wrapped around my waist as he brutally abused the lyrics to The Scorpions, Rock You Like A Hurricane. We were all arms and legs as we danced and bounced around like maniacs, our laughter coming easily.

By the third song I had bounced one too many times and was beginning to feel a little worse for wear. I stumbled toward the bar, laughing, but trying to make my feet function at the same time as the room began to swirl around me.

I hadn't noticed before, but my hand eye coordination wasn't on par when I was this inebriated. As I moved to sit, I landed ass first on the floor under the bar. It was a spectacular display, but I was thankful it was only Emmett and I left in the bar at this point.

"Hey, you ok?" Emmett asked, crouching beside me and pushing my hair out of my eyes.

"I think I broke my ass," I giggled, taking his outstretched hand and letting him pull me to my feet.

"I would offer to check it for you, but I think that would be deemed inappropriate."

"I think you might be right," I laughed grabbing a smoke from the pack and realizing they were almost all gone. I guess that told me what kind of night it had been.

"How about I walk you to your hotel?"

"Why, Emmett, are you propositioning me?"

He laughed gently and tucked my hair behind my ears before his warm hands cupped my cheeks. His deep blue eyes caught mine and I swallowed a little shakily.

"I don't think that's the best idea. I just want to make sure you get there. Hey, Tyler," he said, dropping his hands and looking at the barman. "I'm gonna walk her across the street. I'll be back to close the tab. Keep an eye on my shit."

"Sure," Tyler laughed as I swayed and grabbed Emmett's arm to stabilize myself. "Take care, Bella. Hope to see you around."

"You too, Tyler. Thanks for the drinks."

"My pleasure."

Emmett's arm closed around my waist as he guided me through the bar to the door. I figured the fresh air would help but it made that spinning feeling pick up and everything was moving. Including my stomach.

"Stop for a minute, please," I begged, stepping out of his arms and leaning against the wall of the bar. I hadn't even noticed I still had the cigarette in my hand until now. My shoulder was on the cool concrete as I watched the embers of the smoke burn down a little more. The smell really wasn't helping me.

"How you feeling?"

"Like I'm stood in the center of a tornado."

"Figured," he chuckled, leaning against the wall beside me. "How long have you smoked?"

"I don't," I hiccuped staring at the cigarette again. "Only when I drink beer. It's Ali's fault."

"Ali?"

"My best friend. She's the one who wanted to try it when we were drunk, and it just went well together. I can't abide the things normally."

Emmett leaned in. "I did wonder."

I don't know what came over me. Whether it was simply being drunk and having the balls, or whether his cologne just sang to me. I will never know, but I knew I would never regret it.

My fingers hooked around his neck easily and pulled him to me, my lips crushing against his and sending a jolt of pure lust to zing through my body and come to a colliding crash right above the apex of my thighs. He never fought me, not once, and when his lips parted and his tongue brushed against my bottom lip, the spinning took on a whole new meaning.

He tasted like Tequila and Budweiser with a hint of salt from the nuts he'd been eating. His hand, steadfast on my hip, gripped the material as I massaged his tongue with my own. I dropped the cigarette without hesitation and brought my hand to meet my other.

He was everywhere, his smell, his taste, everything. I could feel his body against mine as I leaned into him, the muscle all tight and masculine up against my soft body. I wanted to inhale him, dig my claws in and never let go. He was raw sex, and sweet kisses.

I needed to stop.

I fell back on my heels and took a deep breath, making my head swim more than it already was.

"Man," Emmett muttered under his breath, looking almost as shell shocked as I felt. I wanted to mirror his statement; I wanted to say so much more, but I was drunk and it wouldn't end well if I said something stupid. I'd had an amazing night with this guy and I had to accept it would be the only one we'd have together.

This wasn't me. This wasn't how I did things and I couldn't get involved with someone who lived a million miles away from me world. He didn't even know who I was, because I never told him my last name. It was liberating knowing that he seemed to like me for me rather than my name and the parents attached to it, but it could never happen. I had to accept that.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the door."

"Thanks," I mumbled in response, leaning into his side and letting myself absorb the feel of him.

We walked to the crossing together and waited in silence. The only sound was the traffic and his hand moving gently up and down my back. I was close to willing the little walking guy not to appear so I could stretch out this moment for just a while longer. It was nice not feeling alone for once.

Even nicer was spending time with a guy when I knew that sex wasn't the outcome he had in mind. I was the one who'd instigated that kiss, not Emmett. I was the one who was already wishing I had more time with him. I was the fool who kept trying to memorize him so I would remember him in the morning.

He walked me to the elevator and pressed the button for me. His eyes smiling at me as I rocked on my unstable feet.

"You going to be alright getting to your room?"

"I think so. It would help if the ground stopping moving though." I grinned sheepishly.

"I had fun tonight, Bella. I wish you had more time in town."

"Me too, Emmett." And God did I mean it. That kiss was beyond words. I'd had some pretty amazing kisses before, but they were nothing compared to the one I'd shared with him.

The door pinged before it opened and I gave Emmett a smile before stepping inside. I stood in the way of the sensors so it wouldn't close and gave Emmett a smile. "What happened to your poker game by the way?"

"It was boring, and my friend wanted to bail early."

"I'm glad you did," I uttered almost silently, before stepping forward and pressing my lips to his. "Goodbye, Emmett."

He gave me the smile that had made me notice him earlier in the evening and I stepped back inside the elevator, my breath and heart dancing inside my body as he and I looked at one another. The doors took an eternity to close, but when they did I fell back against the wall and closed my eyes.

I needed to get drunk all over again.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	5. Lingering

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Lingering  
**

_And either way you turn  
I'll be there  
Open up your skull  
I'll be there  
Climbing up the walls  
**Climbing Up The Walls by Radiohead**_

**_

* * *

_  
Emmett . . .**

**

* * *

**I left my car at the hotel, there was no way in hell I should be driving. I sat in the back of the cab spinning the phone that belonged to Bella in my fingers, while my eyes did that fucked up vibrating thing as they tried to compete with the alcohol for clarity.

When I'd gone back to the bar to close the tab, Tyler had handed me my things and Bella's phone. I'd almost fucked up and handed it back to him, but his pointed look made me see exactly what he was giving me.

It was an excuse to see her again and I was going to use it.

I'd tipped him like it was going out of style for that favor, because the truth was; I wanted to see her again and any excuse was a good one.

It had been one of the best nights I'd ever had and there was no sex involved. Just one mind blowing kiss that I hadn't expected. It made my dick stand to attention just thinking about it. Her mouth had tasted like stale cigarettes and beer but it hadn't bothered me as much as I'd have expected it to. It seemed like it was part of who she was, it fit.

Her soft lips and gentle hum as she'd dropped the butt on the floor had almost had me giving in and dragging her into her hotel room, but I didn't want it to be like that. I didn't want to remember her as a one night stand.

I was such a fucking girl.

Bella was more amazing than I could have ever imagined. She was easy to talk to, fun and had a wicked sense of humor. Of course it was completely fucked up she was leaving in a couple days, but I was hoping to convince her to come out with me tomorrow. I had to pick up my car and I had her phone. Even if it was one day it was worth it. I just had to get to know her better. I had to have that opportunity.

The cab dropped me off at Edward's; I knew he and Rose would have crashed for the night by now. At least I fucking hoped they had. I didn't think I could take the sounds of them bumping uglies while I was this worked up. would definitely get some play tonight, but a soundtrack that sounded like a porno would not help. Not knowing it was my cousin and his girlfriend.

I sneaked into the house and tried to keep Baxter's claws on the hardwood to a minimum. He danced around happily as I led him back to the room I was staying in and stripped down to my boxers, putting the two phones on my nightstand. Baxter's golden fur waved around as he drug in deep breaths and watched me with anticipation.

"What you looking at, fuzzball?"

The pink tongue fell out of the side of his mouth with the challenge. I took a step toward the bed and grinned at the golden face with abnormally fluffy ears. Baxter stomped the ground lightly with his paws, knowing what was about to happen. It was our ritual, we fought for space because it wasn't our usual custom made huge bed that I'd had specialty ordered, in fact this was just a queen.

"You think you're gonna win, huh?"

The sound of his claws clicking against the floor made me smile. With as little warning as possible I sprung on the bed and tried to situate myself in the middle before Bax joined me. He was quicker though and he was at the bottom of the bed in the middle circling with a look of triumph.

"The middle? Really?" I asked rolling my eyes at him as he smugly curled into a ball. "You my friend, kill the mood."

I ruffled his fur and fell back into the bed resigned. There went that idea.

~oOo~

The deep throaty rumbling of Baxter's grumbling vibrated through the bed making my head ache. The heat of the sun on my face made me want to roll over and pull the covers over my head.

"Hangover?"

I sat up and tried to let my eyes focus as my head swam with that dull after alcohol ache. My eyes scanned the room and found the figured crouched on the window sill, her blonde hair looking like a halo with the sun behind it. She grinned deviously and looked out of the window.

"He's awake."

"Ask him where his car is?" Edward's voice said from outside the window.

"Hotel, no way I was driving last night. What time is it?"

Rosalie shifted herself on the small ledge to get comfortable. "It's almost ten in the morning. What time did you get in last night?"

"Don't worry, late enough to be past the celebrating. Congratulations by the way."

Rosalie's head tilted to the side, sending her hair cascading over her shoulder. "What are you talking about? Celebrating what?"

Fuck! Open mouth insert foot. Trust me to be the fucker to ruin the surprise. Edward had said he was going to do it last night. He was completely set on it, in fact. What the fuck was I supposed to say now?

"You coming home?" I said, wording it as a question.

Rosalie laughed, her bell like peal filling my room as her head fell back on her shoulders. Baxter lifted his head to see what all the noise was about. He'd stopped his grumbling the moment he'd realized who it was and now looked startled about the sudden noise.

"I'm fucking with you, Emmett," Rose chortled, holding out her left hand.

"He fell for it?" Edward asked, sticking his head through the window.

"Hook, line and sinker, baby," Rose grinned, leaning in to kiss him. Her hair fell around them in a veil and I looked away, my mind going to the kiss I'd shared with Bella last night. As if on cue, the phone beside the bed started to vibrate and sing out with one of my favorite songs. The girl never ceased to amaze me; it was Bella's phone pulsing on my nightstand.

Did I answer it? Or leave it to go to voice mail?

"You gonna answer it? Or stare at it like it's an alien with four heads?" Rosalie chided.

"Not my phone."

"Whose is it? The mystery girl, Peter told me about this morning?"

Motherfucker. I should have known that blond bastard wouldn't keep his mouth shut. Not that it was any kind of secret, but damn he was worse than a group of old women.

"Yes it's her phone, she left it at the bar," I answered resigned. There was no point in denying it. Rosalie was like a bloodhound sniffing out turkey jerky.

"Answer it; it could be her looking for her phone."

"It's not," I answered, looking down at the display. "It's a chick named, Alice."

Rosalie nodded, and pushed Edward as his hands moved up her thighs. I hated being around these two like this, being this giddy they were touchy feely and it was nauseating.

"Babe," Rose hissed, pushing Edward again. "Emmett, we're going down to the beach later this afternoon, we're gonna bring Jazz and Jake, maybe if you find your mystery girl, you could meet us down there? We'll bring Bax."

I raised my eyebrows and pulled a pillow out from under my head, propelling it at Rosalie's crouched figure in the window. "You're a nosy bunch of bastards. Get the fuck outta my room."

Rosalie fell against Edward and let him pull her out of the window, his arms under her legs and around her back. Of course she couldn't let it go and stuck her tongue out at me like a petulant child. I gave her the one fingered salute in response.

"Come on, Emmy. You and a girl, it's rare and I want to see it."

"Why is everyone busting my balls all of a sudden?" I asked, rolling onto my knees and stepping off the bed. "You'd think I'd never had a date before."

"Well, Peter said you went all day dreamy on him."

"That's why Peter's getting my foot up his ass."

"It's true," Edward snorted. "You never let us meet anyone, I was starting to think you were going native on me."

I grabbed my nuts. "Suck it big boy."

Edward threw his head back and stumbled away from my window with Rosalie in his arms, giggling like a school girl. "We'll be there at four if you change your mind."

"Yeah, yeah. Fuck off," I retaliated pushing the window shut and shaking my head. I was up now, and in the ringing silence left behind by Laurel and Hardy all I could think about was getting the hell out of here and getting to the hotel before I missed her and the window of opportunity was closed for good.

I didn't know what room she was in, I didn't even know her full name. she said she was with her family so there was a chance the room wouldn't be in her name anyway. If I had to sit in the lobby all day I would. I didn't have anything to do anyway.

I took a shower and got dressed before calling a taxi. I hated waiting around for them but I was out of options. At least I could take the cable cars from my house, but that was a couple miles down the beach from here. A cab was my only option.

An hour later, I sat in the lobby of the hotel waiting. My leg tapping impatiently as some of the staff passed by and eyed me suspiciously. They would only stop once the clerk behind the desk had told them what I was doing. He wasn't exactly happy about my existence in his pristine lobby either, but he left me alone.

I was beginning to think I'd already missed her. She'd said she was in town for a couple days, but had she already been here the couple days? I couldn't remember, some of our conversation from last night had been hazy.

My eyes moved in a slow cycle, the restaurant, the elevators and the door. Slow sweeps to make sure I wouldn't miss her if she passed through.

After another thirty minutes, I was starting to feel like some psycho stalker waiting for my target to appear. Maybe I should just give the desk clerk the phone and write a note. It was better than sitting here like an idiot when there was no telling whether she was even here anymore.

Ten more minutes and I made up my mind. I couldn't keep sitting here like a crazy person.

I made my way across the lobby to the desk, but as it had become habit in the last–almost two–hours, I glanced at the elevator as it dinged in the lobby.

'_You have to be shitting me_,' was the first thing to pass through my mind as the mahogany hair became visible. Next to Bella there was a woman with dark hair and soulful eyes, chatting at her. My eyes moved to Bella's face in panic. It occurred to me I had no fucking idea what I was going to say to her. Twenty-seven years and I suddenly couldn't think of two fucking words to put together.

"Emmett?"

"Hey, Bella," I managed. That was two words. I was doing better than I'd thought. "I was just heading to give this to the front clerk. You left it at the. . ."

"My phone!" Bella exclaimed as though she were attempting to divert the last part of the statement. "Thank you so much."

"I left my car here, I figured I would drop it off for you," I smiled, my eyes flickering to the clerk briefly, daring him to contradict me.

"Hi," the woman next to her said gently.

"Oh sorry, my manners," Bella sighed. "Sue this is Emmett, I met him in the movie theater last night. Emmett, this is my step mom, Sue."

Movie theater?

"Nice to meet you, Emmett."

"You too, Ma'am," I smiled, offering my hand. She took it politely before dropping it. "Bella was saying you're only in town for a couple of days. I was thinking, if you could spare her, I could show her the city. I've lived here my whole life, that's if Bella's up for it. It was a late _movie_."

"I can't, sorry," Bella answered too quickly, her eyes flickering between me and the woman next to her. There was a flicker behind the deep, rich, chocolate eyes, but I didn't know her well enough to read it. I felt like an idiot. Save the visit from my cousin's future wife, all I'd thought about all morning had been this girl.

"No big deal, just figured I'd ask. I was going to meet my cousin down on the beach with Baxter later anyway. I should probably get going. Good to see you again, Bella. Nice to meet you . . . Sue." I felt like I should call her Mrs. something, but I still had no idea what their last name was.

Trying my hardest not to look like a wounded puppy, I turned and headed toward the door, glancing at the clerk as though daring him to even smile at me. I knew I'd been taking a chance by waiting, but at least I would know I gave it a shot. I'd had an amazing night with this girl, we'd sat in a bar, got fucked up and talked. Really talked for hours. That's all it would ever be, but it was good enough for me.

"Emmett, wait," Sue said gently. I stopped and looked back. The two women's heads were together as they whispered between them. Sue was pushing her point and Bella looked hopeful. "Bella would love to go with you."

"Sue . . ."

"I got this, Bella. He's my husband; I know how to handle him."

"You sure?" Bella sounded dubious at best. It wasn't fear, just skepticism.

"Go and have fun for once in your life."

Bella smiled at me, her eyes bright and sparkling in the afternoon light. I could see her dusty rose lips between her teeth as she made her decision. Finally, I realized that she was just as eager as I was to spend time together. I wasn't sure where the no had come from, but I could have kissed Sue for pushing her in my direction

"Thanks, Sue."

"Go."

Bella grinned and trotted toward me with a winning smile. "Where you gonna take me? If you say the bridge I am so kneeing you in the nuts."

"Good to see you too," I guffawed as we stepped out into the afternoon.

She grinned and pulled me out from the shelter of the door and down the street before rolling onto her toes and pushing her lips against mine. It was nothing like the kiss the night before. There was no intensity or raw unbridled passion, it was soft, gentle and it still blew my fucking mind.

"I've wanted to do that since I saw you standing there," Bella breathed, her lips curling into a smile as she rolled back onto her Chuck's. "Let's get out of here. I want you to show me everything."

I could see the glint in her eyes as she grinned at me. Whoever that girl inside was, it wasn't who she was out here, but I wanted to know them both.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	6. Summer Rain

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Summer Rain  
**

___I can't focus, when I'm near you.  
Do you notice, me at all?  
I can't focus, when I hear you.  
Do you notice, that I can't focus?  
**Focus by 10 Years**_  


**_

* * *

_  
Bella . . .**

**

* * *

**Emmett's car was beautiful. The smell of the leather interior still had that new car scent and there were so many buttons and gadgets I'd had to resist pressing all of the ones within my reach. I was a button presser; I couldn't help it.

Emmett had taken me down to Fisherman's Wharf to eat before we walked in the park in Alamo Square. I fell in love with the Victorian homes on Postcard row. Emmett was full of useless information about the area, but I listened eagerly because I loved hearing his enthusiasm bleed through.

He made the city sound magical. Something no one had ever done for me, in any of the cities I had been through.

"Did you want to meet up with my cousin and our friends on the beach?" Emmett asked as he drove through the city. My eyes were drinking in everything they could and I almost missed his question.

"Sorry?"

"My cousin. He just got engaged and they wanted to go down to the beach to celebrate. They invited you if you wanted to go."

Spending the day with Emmett was one thing. I enjoyed his company, I felt comfortable with him and there was no denying my attraction to him; but was I ready to meet his family and friends? Normal people on normal dates did that, but I was far from normal. I was on the road most of the time, I was never anywhere long enough to meet family.

"We don't have to." Emmett grinned as we stopped at a red light. He took my hand in his and kissed the palm gently. "It's not a big deal; they picked up Bax for me so he'll still get a good run."

"That's emotional blackmail," I teased squeezing his hand with mine. "I told you I missed Sunny and you're using Baxter as bait."

"That's not true . . . Okay it is, but did it work?"

My leg tapped against the pristine carpet of the fabulous car, I was feigning anger but it wasn't working because of the smile I knew was plastered on my face. It had been there all day so it wasn't like this was anything different. Much like last night this had been one of the best days for me in a long time.

So I would meet his family. It wasn't such a big deal, the way he talked about his cousin made them sound more like friends anyway, and I would feel horrible having him miss their engagement celebration because I wanted more time with him.

So I nodded and smiled. Agreeing without words. I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. Emmett didn't release my hand, he kept it in his. The warmth of his hand made me comfortable; it anchored me next to him.

"Excellent."

Emmett continued through the city while I drank it all in. I'd been here a couple times before but I'd never seen it in this light. Before long, Emmett turned and I could see the ocean sprawling out in front of us again. It was strange that on either side of these huge buildings you could reach the ocean. It didn't seem to really fit, but at the same time you couldn't help but be in awe. To me, it had always simply been another city. I had never explored before.

I opened the window as Emmett took a road that ran parallel to the water. The brine and salt water scent filled the car making my eyes close and absorb the beauty of it all.

"You look beautiful like that."

I smiled without opening my eyes. "I don't get to see this very often. My home is in Montana."

"You got any horses?"

My eyes flickered open and I smiled. "Lots, we breed them. It's something else I miss. Dad bought the ranch a while a go, and we have so much land we can ride for miles without seeing another soul. I love it out there, so wild and liberating."

"That, I would love to see."

"You ride?" I quizzed, my smile turning into a grin.

"Believe it or not, I have a friend from Texas who thought it would be magnificent to get my ass on a beast while we were there. I wasn't too bad at it either, except my ass felt like it was about to hand in its notice."

"You rode western. I prefer English but I do both."

"Should I know what that means?"

I laughed. "No, but maybe I can show you one day."

That's when the smile dissolved. What the hell was I thinking? After today I wouldn't see Emmett again. Our gig was tomorrow and then we were moving on. It was pure luck that I had nothing to do today. I was making plans for the future with a guy I'd never see again.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good thanks," I offered with a weaker smile. I was messing this all up by thinking too much. I had to just let go and enjoy it while it was happening. I couldn't make plans for the future, but I could enjoy the now. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost," Emmett chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to think you're using me to get to Bax."

"Damn, you guessed my evil plot," I dead-panned.

Emmett guffawed and turned into a driveway of a huge house that was raised a fair distance from the ground. Underneath was a fenced in porch. He pulled to a stop next to what looked like a Maserati; behind it was a restored VW Beetle.

"Uh, do you always park in people's driveways?"

"When it's mine I do."

"This is your house?"

"Yeah, I just had some work done to it. You like?"

"It's huge."

"I know, but I couldn't resist, it's in a good area and close to the . . . work."

He was editing. Neither of us had discussed what we did for a living and we seemed to be dancing around the subject. I didn't really want to mention it and he never made a move to start the conversation, so I didn't ask. Whatever it was he did, he made money doing it. Just looking at the house made that obvious.

"You ready?"

_As I'll ever be_, I thought gripping the handle and letting myself out. The air rolled off the ocean and moved my hair around my shoulders. The crashing cacophony of the waves filled the air like a languid song. It was more beautiful than I'd imagined. Emmett meandered over to me and took my hand in his, the warmth against the cool ocean breeze was welcomed, and being this close to him was–nice.

He walked us around the house and down the beach toward a small group sat around a fire. A beautiful blonde that was vaguely familiar to me, was sat between the legs of a handsome guy with wild auburn hair, across from them was Emmett's friend from last night, and a cute guy with dark hair and soulful eyes. Him, I did recognize.

"Wait, Emmett. Is that . . ."

"Yeah, it's Rosalie and Peter Hale and their guitarist Jacob Black," he said easily.

"That's Rosalie Hale?"

Emmett snorted and pulled me closer. Whatever I'd said seemed amusing to him. "So who was it you recognized?"

"Jacob, he's only one of the most talented guitarists since . . ." I almost put my foot in it and called him Uncle Marcus. Dad's band members had always stayed close and that's what I'd grown up calling them.

"Please say that you were going to say Marcus Grayson, otherwise I will have to walk away."

"That's exactly who I was going to say," I answered, my eyes narrowing. I wasn't sure if he knew. Could he know?

"I kinda figured. You're phone rang this morning the ringtone was one of my all time favorites. I admire you for your taste in music."

"I could say the same for you. I laughed, pulling out my phone in relief. He didn't know. "Tell me, Emmett, did you get my number from my phone?"

"Nope, I didn't look at it, just kinda left it and stared at it."

I laughed again, I couldn't help myself because the answer was absurd. I was going against my better judgment, but I held out my hand. "Give me your phone. I get bored with my folks so you may get random texts."

Emmett didn't say a word but pulled out his phone for me, handing it over without question. I entered my number and name simply as Bella, then handed it back and demanded his number. I was hitting save just as Baxter saw us approach.

His booming bark was a forewarning that he was barreling toward us at full speed. His tail whirled as though it were about to take him into flight. Emmett released my hand and bent at the waist, his knees bending to carry him lower to the ground.

"Fuzzball."

Baxter danced around and stamped the ground as he was given fuss from Emmett, his tongue lolled from the side of his mouth in what looked like a smile as they played together. Then he noticed me. I crouched close to the ground and welcomed him with open arms, giggling as the gentle golden-brown fur ghosted across my skin. He was beautiful, his long coat and fuzzy ears seemed to fit his merry disposition. I buried my face in the coat at his neck and grinned into his fur.

"He likes you," Emmett laughed as the coarse dog tongue moved up my arm.

"I like him too," I replied, my fingers scratching behind his ears. "He's beautiful."

"He's a goofball."

"Leave him a lone you big bully."

Emmett feigned hurt and pointed to Baxter with two fingers. "Always stealing the women, you fuzzy beast. Bang."

Baxter fell to the ground and rolled on his back, all four legs in the air, and his eyes on Emmett looking for approval. Emmett blew the tips of his fingers and held out his hand to help me up. I took it and straightened out, smiling down at the mass of gold hair in the sand.

"Good boy, Bax," Emmett sang, slapping his thigh making Baxter jump into action. "Let's see if you do as well with the rest of the group."

"No pressure," I mumbled, looping my arm through his as he closed the distance between us.

"Hey guys," Emmett said cheerfully before sitting down and pulling me into his lap. "This is Bella. Bella, this is everyone, Jacob Black, Peter Hale, Rosalie Hale and my cousin and asshole extraordinaire, Edward."

"Nice to meet you," I grinned and half waved. You'd think after being on a stage most of my life, debilitating shyness wouldn't be an issue.

Wrong.

I was terrified.

"Hey, Bella. Glad you could make it," Rose smiled and offered the hand with the rock on it.

"Thanks, and I hear congratulations are in order," I said taking her hand and and shaking it.

"Thanks, he proposed last night. I've been out of town for a while."

"She knows," Emmett said. "She recognized Jacob."

"Me?" Jacob asked a little astounded. I guess no one paid him much attention in the grand scheme of things. Rosalie was commanding on the stage, I'd seen one of their performances when I'd been in Florida for Spring Break with Alice. She had a huge crush on Peter. I was amazed at myself for not recognizing them earlier.

"She has an ear for guitarists."

I could feel the blush stain my cheeks. I knew I should say something funny or witty but I was drawing a blank. I'd met plenty of people who my father and mother had known, and I was fine with that. They were all just people, but now I knew what it was to be starstruck. Meeting someone I idolized. It was different somehow.

"Wow, drummers never get any recognition," Peter mumbled from the other side of the fire, but his smile said it didn't hurt his feeling one bit. "Seeing as you're the star of the moment why don't you break out the guitar and play us a little ditty?"

Now Jacob looked like he was blushing.

"Way to put him on the spot, dragon breath," Rosalie laughed, throwing a shell at Peter. He ducked and grinned. He seemed the type to not really give a rat's ass.

"Naw, it's fine. I didn't bring it for simple decoration."

His fingers plucked at the acoustic guitar with a commanding precision. I loved watching guitarists, I could play but I wasn't talented like that. I could pick out a few of my favorite songs, but I would never master the art of it like Dad, Uncle Marcus or Jacob. That was natural born talent.

One of my Dad's more famous songs was being plucked on the strings and I couldn't help but feel surprised. It was odd being around people who didn't know who you are, who your father is or was. It was people simply singing their favorite songs around a warm fire on the beach. It was warming to see how loved the music was, even away from the stage and my dad's presence.

My favorite part of the song came lilting perfectly from the guitar and before I was even conscious I was doing it I was singing out the words. Jacob continued to play, but it was the silence from the others that really caught me off guard. I hadn't even realized they'd been humming and harmonizing with the guitar until their silence filled the space, and they were all looking at me.

"Sorry," I whispered over the guitar, and smiled at Jacob. "You got the melody perfectly."

It was then that I realized how they were looking at me. Their eyes would move from me to Emmett. The looks they gave Emmett were knowing glances full of concern. I couldn't understand what was going on, but I ignored it and tried to busy myself with Baxter who was lying next to Emmett's legs that lay either side of me.

"Bella . . ."

"I'm sorry," I blurted. "It's one of my favorite songs and I didn't even realize I was doing it until you went quiet."

"No it's not that," Edward smiled warmly. "You just seem to know music."

"My dad plays a little," I lied, staring at the fuzzy paws that were trying to get my attention as I attempted to keep the tell tale frown from my brow. "It's a hobby of his."

"Well, don't stop singing on our account," Rose grinned. "That's what we do at these bonfires. I think you caught the boys off guard."

"I don't understand?"

Rosalie looked at Emmett and back at me. She looked startled. I turned to Emmett who smiled down at me thoughtfully. I wasn't sure what that meant, but there were several silent conversations going on that I couldn't read.

"Do you sing professionally?" Peter asked looking nonchalant.

"No," I lied again, finding it harder to keep the frown at bay. It always appeared when I lied. I needed them to stop looking at me so quizzically. "Just in the shower and along with the radio."

Emmett's arms closed around my waist, his hands rubbed up and down my sides in encouragement. I couldn't understand the questions. It seemed like the mood had changed in the group.

The strumming of the guitar gently changed into one of Rosalie's songs and the mood changed yet again, taking the heat off of me.

"Oh no, I'm on vacation I am not singing," Rosalie said quietly, but her smile contradicted her. Edward's arms tightened around her before his lips brushed the skin below her ear making her shudder delicately. Emmett was chuckling behind me, but my mood was already somber. I couldn't pull out of it.

Rosalie sang three songs before the crack of thunder warned us of the on coming rain. All of us moved quickly as Jacob packed up his guitar and Peter put out the fire. Emmett gripped my hand and pulled me toward the house as the sky opened and the rain fell in sheets making the already darkening sky look more troubling and angry than it had been.

We squealed out a goodbye to everyone else as they clambered into their cars. Baxter took the stairs onto the porch and wagged his tail happily waiting to be let inside.

Emmett and I were going into his house.

Alone.

My stomach flipped in anticipation gently as I followed him up the stairs.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	7. Bonding

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Bonding  
**

_ I lay there in the dark and I close my eyes  
You saved me the day that you came alive  
The reason you left me to survive  
You saved me the day you came alive  
**Come Alive by The Foo Fighters**_____

**_

* * *

_  
Emmett . . .**

**

* * *

**Bella was quiet, too quiet. She had been since my asshole friends had been firing questions at her. I knew the moment they heard her voice they'd make assumptions, shit for a second I had. I could see it in Edward's eyes . . . the–not another piece of ass that's screwing you to get famous–look. What I couldn't seem to communicate to them was Bella didn't know. She had no idea what I did for a living, and I didn't see her piecing it together either.

If I'd learned anything about Bella in our day together, it was that she was honest. Honest to the point of being blunt, in fact. I also knew she couldn't understand where the questions had come from. Why they were being fired at her like the fucking Spanish Inquisition.

I unlocked the door and let Bella and Baxter inside. Baxter immediately went to his huge bed and rolled in it happily. He'd missed home as much as I had, and he seemed happy that he was here. Bella walked deeper inside, her eyes wide as they scanned the place.

There wasn't must showing because of the dust sheets that covered everything to stop the painters getting flecks of paint on my shit. She moved around lithely as I leaned against the arch that led from the entry to the large living room and watched her walk as her curiosity blossomed.

Her thin fragile fingers ghosted over a sheet that was covering my stereo and pulled it back a little to peek inside. Her eyes lit up, I had an inkling they would; she seemed to have a love for music, one that probably matched my own, and I had bought the best system I could find. Anyone who liked listening to music would appreciate it.

"Nice," she muttered, fiddling with it before digging into the cavernous purse she been carrying around all day. When I say digging, I mean she could have climbed into the damn thing. "There you are."

She pulled out an iPod and gave me a grin and I nodded in response. Neither of us had spoken since the beach but we seemed to share this silent language. Whatever was on her mind would eventually come out. I had no doubt she had questions about my friends reaction to her singing, but for now she seemed content to explore.

I felt like an asshole, but I had the overwhelming desire to kiss her as she scrolled through her music. My mind moved to show images of my hands on her curves, traveling lightly over the gentle roundness of her ass. Unfortunately, with the visions came a half chub that I couldn't seem to control around her.

Charlie Swan's melodic voice filled the emptiness of the house, and I didn't miss her whimsical smile as she turned up the volume so it sounded like a concert in my living room.

With the soundtrack, she moved deeper into the room, pulling out dust sheets to see what was hidden behind them. She lingered on the books and disappeared under the sheet briefly leaving only a small gap in which I saw her fingers moving over the spines in reverence.

We had so much in common, yet knew so little about one another. Both of us seemed to avoid the difficult questions that would lead us into getting to know one another better.

Bella squealed under the sheet and I could see the reason why, the fuzzy golden tail peeking out from the other end of the sheet was a dead giveaway.

"Bax," I chuckled, patting my hand against my leg which he instinctively heeled to. "Always trying to get a lady alone."

"He's smooth," Bella retorted, the smile in her voice evident. "You must be a chick magnet with that guy."

"He's my back up plan, to be used in emotion blackmail."

"Oh I see how it is," Bella laughed, stepping out from behind the sheet. "Now I know why you invited me to the beach . . . meet the irresistible Baxter, schmooze me into your amazing home. Are you going to schmooze your way into my pants now?"

"Tempting," I answered with nonchalance. "But you look too good in them to rip them off. I was thinking of taking my time. Maybe making dinner first. Drinking a beer."

"You sure know how pamper a girl," she grinned. Her eyes moved to another arch that led into the kitchen. "Is the beer through here?"

"Well, it's normally called a kitchen, but yes, there's a contraption called a refrigerator that contains frosty brews."

Bella grinned and bent her knees in almost a curtsy before springing into the kitchen. Baxter, curious about her sudden excitement followed her with his tail swaying. Within minutes Bella was back with two beers and a dog heeling to her side.

"Did you train him?" she asked handing me the bottle and leaning down to ruffle the fur on the side of his neck.

"I did, but I used a book and a class to help me, he was boisterous as a puppy."

"I bet. Did he have the huge feet and round belly when he was a baby?"

We were avoiding other topics again, but I was willing to go along with it to make her comfortable. I moved to the covered table that had been pushed to one side and lifted it so I could get to the drawer. I pulled out a box of photos that I kept and handed it to her.

She took it willingly and fell into the dust cover shaped like a couch, putting the beer bottle between her thighs so she had both hands free to look through the box. I'd never been more jealous of a beer bottle in my life. It was exactly where I wanted to be.

The music was the only sound in the room as she went through the photos smiling at them. She held up a picture of me and the ball of fluff sat in the jeep I'd had before the money started rolling in.

"That was the day I got him. I pulled up at the house and my mom decided that it would be cute to get a snapshot of his first homecoming."

"It's cute. You look really happy."

"I was," I said, taking a swig of beer. "My sister was allergic to dogs so I could never have one growing up, she'd just moved away to go to college on the east coast. I was planning on moving out myself and my mom had a friend with a golden retriever they'd just bred, so she called me and told me to go pick one out. Of course he was the runt of the litter, tiny compared to the rest of them, but he was the only one brave enough to come sniff at me. The rest is history."

"That's amazing. Sunny was the runt too. One of old man Cooper's dogs got out of his yard while Mr. Banner's dog was in heat. They were both Collies, so they just went with it and registered them. When Mr. Banner's horse Monroe got sick, my step-mom, Sue, who's also the best equestrian vet in the state, got the mare back into shape, and asked for a puppy rather than payment. She gave the puppy to me. I think it was a bribe because she was just dating my dad at the time."

"Did you train her?"

"Yeah she herds everything she can. She's also good with agility courses." Bella put the pictures back in the box and set it beside her, pulling the bottle from its place between her legs and putting it to her lips. She was driving me crazy. The rose colored swell of her lips around the top of the bottle was like slow, exquisite torture to watch. Before I knew what I was doing, I was leaning down and pressing my lips to hers before all of the blood in my body rushed to my dick.

Her lips parted easily as my tongue dusted along them, she accepted me tilting her head back so I had easier access. My hand cupped her neck supporting her as I deepened the kiss between us. She tasted amazing, the faint taste of beer was nothing compared to her, she was sugar and spice and I couldn't get enough of her. My knee came down on the couch between her legs as I hungrily took more. Her bottom lip was in my teeth, and her hands were on my sides gripping the shirt as we pushed further and deeper.

I nudged her back gently until she was leaning against the couch, her heat rubbing against my thigh as we kissed deeper and battled for domination. My dick was so fucking hard I could have held up a damn building with it. I wanted her. I wanted to taste her, to feel her surrounding me as I slid inside her. I wanted to hear her screaming my name. More than that, I wanted the closeness, the holding and kissing, the smell of her hair on my pillow.

Fuck me I was being a girl again.

Bella pulled back slowly and gulped in air much the same way I did. I pushed my forehead against hers and waited for something to happen. Whether it was rejection or more of this I was ready for it.

"Maybe we should change the music," Bella whispered, her lips touching the tip of my nose.

"Really? I would have thought this would be . . ."

"Awkward," she finished for me with a grin. "I'll explain later, I just don't want to ruin the mood."

"Ex?"

"Not even close," she smirked. "So stop making assumptions."

I stood up and pulled her up with me, my arms tight around her waist. I wasn't willing to give up the moment just yet. Thankfully, she seemed to feel the same way, her arms going around as much of me as they could as her head leaned against my shoulder.

She fit perfectly against my body. It was like an extension of myself I didn't want to let go of. She was warm and smelled like flowers and fruit. All girly shit but it felt right. Knowing this was the only time I would have like this with her actually hurt a little. I was playing with fire.

The room went silent as the song changed and it was interrupted by the sound of her growling stomach.

"Are you hungry?"

"Famished," she answered, pulling back to grin up sheepishly at me.

Bella stood in the kitchen and watched as I cooked pre-made pasta before dumping it in the red sauce. It was easy, and cheating, but I didn't have anything else to offer. I'd planned on going grocery shopping before I moved back in, and this little detour was anything but planned. She dipped her fingers in the sauce and stole pasta every time I turned my back, and I would have never known unless I saw the red sauce on her bottom lip when I turned around with the bowls.

"Are you sneaking food?"

"No," she lied, her brow puckering in a cute frown. She would be utter shit at poker. "Why would you say that?"

I put the bowls on the counter and stepped toward her, my hands grasping the counter either side of her body as I leaned in. "You really wanna know?"

She nodded, hiding a smile behind those wide, chocolate eyes. I leaned in, her breath fanning across my cheek as she wondered what I was going to do next. I pushed out my tongue and licked the sauce off her lip, watching as her eyes widened even more and then rolled with delight.

"Caught you red handed."

Her cheeks flared as her teeth worried her bottom lip, and I could think of nothing better to do in reaction than press my lips to hers again. It was, as always, exquisite torture. My pants got tighter the more our tongues wrestled for dominance. I pushed against her and she gasped gently into my mouth as her hands tangled in my hair. I could taste the marinara on her lips as I sucked the bottom one gently. I lifted her gently onto the counter and stepped between her legs, tilting her head backward to kiss her deeper.

Without thought my hips rocked against her, eliciting a groan that spilled into my mouth like a boost of adrenaline.

"Emmett," she mumbled, pulling back her breath stroked my neck. "The pasta is boiling over."

I blinked a couple times before coming back to earth and hearing what had inevitably tipped her off. The sizzling spit of the starchy water on the flame pulled me from her body. Her heavily hooded eyes almost made me step back between her legs with the hunger that encompassed me, but instead I moved to the range and pushed the water to another burner and turned off the flame.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to distract you," she giggled, sliding from the counter and stepping up next to me. "Do we have soggy pasta?"

"No, I don't think so," I added dropping in a scoop and pulling out a piece of pasta. Before I could even reach for it, her fingers snapped the pasta from the spoon. She brought it to her lips and blew on it gently before popping it into her mouth with a grin and a groan.

"Perfect," she uttered, her tongue running over her lips. The girl was killing me. Even something as ordinary and mundane as blowing on pasta was keeping my permanently hard. "Let's eat."

I couldn't have agreed more, but I doubted we meant the same thing. The taste of her was still on my lips driving me crazy. I tried to push down my need to kiss her again and served the pasta; handing her a bowl as I served my own.

We talked through dinner and had a water fight while doing the dishes. I was comfortable with Bella, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. I liked her, more than I probably should after two dates with her. That being said, I was fucked because she was leaving soon.

"Emmett!"

"Sorry," I chuckled, giving her my full attention.

"Hand it over, it's time for the ultimate test."

"It's attached to my body, Bella . . . I . . ." She shut me up by slapping my arm, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Nice try, but I wasn't referring to your dick," she added, blushing wildly. "I'm talking iPod."

"Fine," I groaned, digging in my pockets. "But you break it, you buy it." I slapped her ass, earning a squeal as she passed to get to the radio.

She went quiet as she turned the dial going through the list and disappearing into the living room.

"Hey Emmett," she called, and like Baxter, I walked to the door to peer in at her. I leaned against the edge of the arch as she grinned at the screen. "I think I found your dirty little secret."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

Bella pressed play and grinned at me, the song started playing and she danced around the room, her arms making the frame.

"You're kidding right?"

She shook her head and motioned for me to join her, but as my arms reached out for her she pushed me to the ground before dancing out of reach.

"Bella you . . ."

"Play along, Emmett. This is one of my favorite movies."

The song played as she danced around me and to the edge of the room.

"Alice and I used to do this all the time, except we never made out," Bella mused, still doing the cha cha cha. "Maybe you'll get lucky, Emmett."

"Sylvia!" I mouthed, rolling my eyes and feeling like a complete flake.

"Yes Mickey?" Bella mouthed in response along with the song, her smile lighting the room.

"How do you call your lover boy?"

"Come here, lover boy!" Bella replied, dancing behind the sheets as I rolled to my knees.

"And if he doesn't answer?"

"Oh lover boy..." she responded, her body moving seductively which was a contrast with the gentleness of the words.

"And if he still doesn't answer?"

Bella lowered herself to her hands and knees seductively, I could see right down the front of her shirt, making my dick spring to life again. She crawled toward me, her eyes moving over me.

"I simply say: Baby," she reached me, her body slowly moving up mine. "Oh baby!" her hands ghosted on either side of my face as her hips rolled. "My sweet baby, you're the one!" Her lips were against mine and I pulled her toward me, thinking about nothing but her and the feel of her body against mine.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	8. Revelations

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Revelations  
**

_ I do not want to be afraid  
I do not want to die inside just to breathe in  
I'm tired of feeling so numb  
Relief exists I find it when  
I am cut  
**Cut by Plumb**_

**_

* * *

_  
Bella . . .**

**

* * *

**Emmett's lips were impossibly soft.

I had remembered little about our drunken kiss, but being sober and feeling his lips against mine was numbing. The music continued to play out and cycled to "_She's Like the Wind_", but I couldn't stop kissing him. My body gravitated toward his as I pushed my chest up against him to feel more of his heat against me.

Emmett's hands, big but soft, handled me with gentleness as he held me to him. He seemed almost as reluctant as I was to let go of this moment between us. Our want grew into need, and need grew into a new kind of desperation as his tongue penetrated my lips. A kind of hunger welled in my gut and pushed me onward. My hands moved down his neck and over his broad shoulders, continuing down his back to the hem of his shirt where I fingered the warm skin there.

He seemed to take my movements as a cue to do the same, his finger tips running along the bare skin of my back making me shudder with pure, unadulterated lust.

There was no stopping now, I don't think I could have if I'd had enough thought to process it. I hadn't intended my kiss to lead to this, it was a kiss, much like the one we'd shared in the bar; but there was no denying my need for him now.

I pushed forward to get closer to him, and as my shirt rode up from Emmett's ministrations, so did my hands against his skin. The heat of our naked flesh touching was almost too much to bare. I could feel the push of his body against mine as he drug in breaths.

I hummed into his mouth out of pleasure as my hips rocked against his hardened length. It made a heavenly friction between us that only seemed to drive me onward.

He pulled back from the kiss, his lips swollen from moving against mine his eyes hungry and feral. The sight made me more eager to get closer to him, to feel more of him against me. Without blinking away from his penetrating gaze, I pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it lazily, drinking in the perfection that was his body.

"Any further and I won't be able to stop," he growled, as his marvelous chest and abs clenched with the effort of dragging in his breath. I could feel his excitement growing against me as my hips moved of their own volition.

"Who said anything about stopping?" I purred in response, my hands splaying over his muscles. "You think I would have started this if I hadn't wanted to continue?"

Emmett groaned, his large frame swelling and contracting as he seemed to grasp what I was trying to say. His eyes roamed over my body and down to where my thighs parted to straddle him and I knew he was as powerless to fight this as I was. He lunged, his hands lifting my body with ease and laying me on the floor before covering me with his own. My heart was like a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred in my chest, hammering forward, as my thighs parted further to accept his body between them.

The weight of him against me was welcomed, and his scent seemed to envelop me as his lips crashed against mine hungrily. He was taking control of the situation but if he thought it was staying that way he was wrong. I pushed against him until he gave way to me and rolled onto his back, in one movement I was straddling him with my hands on the hem of my shirt tugging it over my own head in my need for this connection. He gripped my hips and rubbed me against his hard length as I arched and tackled the back of my bra with both hands.

He explored my body reverently. His palms worked their way from my hips and up over my ribs until he cupped the girls gently in each hand, his thumbs tweaking the swollen buds of my nipples.

"You're beautiful," he groaned, his tongue dancing over his bottom lip as his eyes drank me in. He sat in one swift movement and replaced one of his hands with his mouth making my back arch and my hands dive into the black curls that adorned his head. He was everywhere, nipping, sucking and biting as my body coiled like a spring ready for release.

There was no stopping us, my need for him grew into a pleasure pain at the apex of my thighs and I knew I couldn't wait much longer to accept him within me. I worked around him and tackled his belt which only seemed to spur him on, and get with the program. Our hands worked in unison as we danced the last of our clothes off, and after wrestling his pants to get to the pockets, he sheathed himself with the condom he had in his wallet.

My eyes drank in his skilled hands as he worked. He made something usually mundane and mood killing into an art form. I'd never seen anything as beautiful as the man below me in any sense of the word. His body was like something made out of my wildest fantasies and I was lucky enough to be straddling his muscular thighs and watching with a reverence all of my own.

The moment he was ready his eyes found mine and his hands were on my hips lifting me over him. I gripped his shoulders for support. The tension between us was heady and heavy in the air as we stared at one another.

One last question from his eyes and all I could do was nod. A gentleman to the end, he was asking me whether I was sure. I'd never been more certain of anything in my life, I wanted him, I wanted to feel him inside me, I wanted to taste his skin.

He lowered me slowly, his generous girth causing my teeth to meet the flesh of his shoulder.

"Oh fuck," he murmured against my neck, his hands pushing me down further so he slid deeper.

He sucked the skin of my neck gently as I used his shoulders for leverage, rising and falling as my head fell back on my shoulders. I sucked in air and worked up my momentum, my chest rising and falling with the effort as his hands gripped my hips and pushed me so I felt him deeper within me.

We moved together with soft grunts and groans of pleasure filled the air around us. My body shuddered and shook against him as my skin dampened. My hands slid over his slick skin until I had no choice but to fist my hands into his hair for leverage. He grunted his approval, his hands gripping my ass and squeezing as he worked with me to move faster, and push deeper.

It didn't take long until my stomach exploded into butterflies and the electrical pulse of euphoria ran along my spine. He was everywhere, his hands gripping and squeezing as my body rolled and collided building up the pure ecstasy of the oncoming climax. I felt like I was running toward an edge knowing what was coming as I leaped.

The sheen of sweat covered my body as I pressed myself against his chest, shivering and trembling gripping him deep within my body. I'd been so caught up in my moment of joy I'd slowed my movements to a gentle roll of the hips selfishly forgetting I wasn't the only one in this moment with me.

Not that Emmett seemed to mind. He licked his lips and watched as my body shuddered in the aftermath of one of the most amazing climaxes I had ever experienced in my life took over my aching body.

"Beautiful," he groaned, his tongue licking up the column of my neck before his teeth nipped at my jaw. He pulled back and looked at me with lust filled eyes. My heavy lids blinked with lust as his hips rocking up into me again making his presence and, very much accounted for, arousal known.

I grinned, and licked my dry lips before pushing them against his, ready to keep going as my hand reached around and gripped the base of his hardness gently. His hips bucked at the contact, pushing him deeper leaving my hands to massage his balls gently. I groaned into his mouth, my fingers moving against his body as I picked up my movements again.

He worked with me, his hands gripping my ribs helping my movements as my back arched pulling him deeper. He grunted and groaned, his hips working to meet mine as we built up the tension between us again. His lips parted, his tongue swept his lips and my name formed and fell silently before he swelled and released inside of me.

"Bella," he mumbled against my shoulder as we both paused.

He'd called my name.

It had never sounded so beautiful before.

I collapsed against him and I shuddered in the aftermath. I'd been so close to a second high, my body seemed to magnify every one of his breaths against my body. Neither of us had lasted more than twenty minutes, but our panting and damp bodies showed the effort and need we'd had for one another while lost in the moment.

"That was . . ." Emmett started.

"Yeah," I finished, as he lay back with me against his chest.

Resting my head against his shoulder and feeling the pull as he sucked in oxygen made me realize how intimate this aftermath was. It normally wouldn't have made much of an impression on me, but I realized how much I wanted it, how much I wished it meant something this time.

I rolled off onto the rug next to him fighting for air, and feeling utterly sated as my fingers found his and tangled with them. Satisfied with at least being this close.

Yeah, didn't even cover it.

I wanted to roll back onto his chest and do it all over again.

And again.

"I'm gonna . . ."

I nodded, knowing what he needed to do and released the death grip my fingers had on him.

I reveled in watching his body move as he stood slowly and made his way toward the bathroom. His tight ass looked amazing from this vantage point. Surprising me, he stopped and grabbed a throw from his couch, draping it over my body before leaving the room.

I'd never had sex like that in my life.

Sure, I'd had some good sex in my time but that . . . there were no words for what just happened. Emmett had got to me, pulled me in and made me need him more than any other guy had and it didn't take a genius to know I had invested too much emotionally in my time with him.

I liked him. Too much, and I was on the verge of ruining this perfect moment by bringing in emotions and complicating matters.

I had to cut this short.

I had to cut and run before things became more complicated. I'd gone so long without falling for someone and leaving myself vulnerable, I couldn't do this to either of us. Emmett was too nice to hurt. If I left now and didn't see him again maybe there was a chance I would save us both the pain of leaving later.

Save him a fate my father had to live through.

I wasn't my mother, I was stronger, but I had to be sure. I was better off alone, no matter how much this goodbye may hurt.

Twenty-four hours and he'd affected me more than any other man in my life. How was that even possible?

It didn't take him long to rejoin me on his living room floor. His red cheeks and dimples made my heart race as I drank in his body, now covered with a towel hung low on his hips. My decision cemented itself as I realized exactly what my body was doing at the mere sight of him.

I just had to get through the rest of this afternoon, and then I could disappear. At least I would have this memory.

"You okay? You need anything?" he asked lowering himself to the ground, his lips pressing mine pulled back and grinned, his soulful eyes drinking me in.

I shook my head and smiled at him as he lay in his spot next to me. His large body resting on its side, as he half covered mine. I couldn't keep my hands from tracing the line of his jaw even if I had just talked myself into leaving.

Emmett's hands brushed the hair back from my face and leaned in to press his lips against mine. His body smelt musky and manly in its exhaustion, and no matter what I'd just said while alone, I found myself snuggling deeper into his chest as he pulled the blanket up and dropped it over himself.

"You've gone quiet."

"I think I just got my breath back," I lied, as my body tingled with the recent memory.

"Well," he laughed, pulling back and grinning. He shuffled his body over mine so he was between my thighs once again and shuffled lower playfully, exaggerating his movements. My heart picked up its pace and thundered in my chest as his lips found my chest and nipped at the swollen flesh. "I could try and take it away again."

His hands gripped my ribs as he shuffled lower. My heart stuttered with excitement until his thumb ran back and forth over the left ribs, and his lips paused on my skin. I knew what he was looking at, and I knew what was about to happen.

"French?" he asked, his lips brushing over the black ink that was forever ingrained in my skin.

"Mmm hmm," I mumbled, trying to squirm out of his grip and away from the situation.

"What does it say?"

I sighed, knowing there was no escaping the explanation. "You do not have bones of glass, you can take life's knocks."

"Profound."

I raised my eyebrows, trying to avoid the next question. The question that undoubtedly always followed.

"Do you mind if I ask what it means?"

There it was. Plain as day.

My hands found my hair before I was conscious of the movement. I hated the truth, and I hated explaining it because I had to tell the whole story. I usually made shit up, but with Emmett, I found myself wanting to tell him the truth.

I just didn't know where to start.

"Hey listen, no pressure."

"No, it's not that. It's just . . . my mom took her own life when I was younger. For a long time I blamed myself, but as I got older I realized that she did it for all the wrong reasons," I said, my hands finding Emmett's hair as he lay looking up at me. "She did it because she was weak, and selfish. She didn't think about how it would affect me or dad, all she cared about was a way out. My dad took me to Montana to get away from the mess she left behind, and I promised myself I would never be that weak. I got this last month, on the anniversary of her death; she was the same age as I am now when she killed herself."

My hands moved down to his cheek and he leaned into it, his eyes closing. I knew he didn't know what to say. I'd managed to dance around the reasoning, something I often did, but mostly it was the cold truth.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his blue eyes flickering open and meeting mine. He leaned his weight on his elbows as his hands covered mine on his cheek. I could feel the lump forming in my throat and tried to swallow it back. I didn't want to cry after the amazing day we'd spent together. The only day we would spend together. I needed to keep this as simple and beautiful as it was.

"It was a long time ago," I finished.

"The pain never goes away though does it?"

"Not when they do an _E! True Hollywood Story_ every year on the anniversary of her death," I grumbled, instantly regretting the words. I wanted to roll out from under him and run away before the next question came. It was another inevitable question. One I knew had to be answered, because I was the idiot who'd let her emotions get the better of her.

Emmett looked at me with wide eyes, his curiosity ringing out from the blue depths as he tried to get a read on me. I wanted to smack myself on the forehead and leave before it got complicated. I'd been here before. It never ended well.

"E! True Hollywood Story?" he asked, trying to prompt the answer from me without a direct hit. I swallowed, knowing there would be no avoiding it, no matter how upset I was with myself for getting angry about it and spilling it. It wasn't Emmett's fault. This was all on me. This was my fault and I owed him an answer.

"My mom was Renee Swan."

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	9. Mistaken

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Mistaken  
**

___It's only love, it's only pain  
It's only fear, that runs through my veins  
It's all the things you can't explain  
That make us human  
**Human by Civil Twilight**_  


* * *

**Emmett . . .**

* * *

I am an asshole.

It was official the moment Bella shifted her body and slid from underneath me, stealing her body heat and beauty from anywhere close to me, and I still said nothing. I just watched as she dressed, her beautiful brown eyes glazed with unshed tears.

"Will you say something?" she sighed, buttoning up her jeans, her eyes cold the usually warm brown become more inaccessible the longer I held my silence.

I mentally kicked myself for being such a fuck up and pushed myself from the ground, just as she was pulling on her shirt.

It had been the best sex I'd ever had the pleasure of participating in and I was letting her walk out the door because I was an untrusting dick. It wasn't that I didn't believe her. I could see the pain behind those chocolate pools. It was more that I didn't trust her to want me for me. My mind immediately went into lockdown as scenarios played out in my mind.

Charlie Swan's little girl wanting to climb out of his shadow. I'd heard he was touring with his daughter, that he wouldn't let her pursue anything more than singing in shady bars with minimal crowds. I'd even heard he was in town this week but I'd never connected the pieces together. Was she using me to build a name for herself?

That's all I could think.

Like I said, I am an asshole.

In hindsight it had probably never even crossed her mind because I was the fucker who hadn't given her my whole story yet. I wasn't even sure she knew my last name, let alone what I did for a living. Sure she realized who Jacob was, but as far as she was concerned we could have been childhood friends.

I was jumping to conclusions and in the process I was pushing her away. I had to be losing my fucking mind.

Bella looked around the living room and pulled together what little she'd brought with her before giving Baxter a rub behind the ears.

Then there was only me left.

I stepped toward her and held out my arms almost sighing in relief as she took a breath and stepped into the small solace I'd provided. I was hoping I could make up for my lack of tact at her confession. At least she'd been brave enough to bare her soul to me, yet I was still hiding behind my partial anonymity.

Officially, the biggest asshole ever.

"Don't go," I whispered into the top of her chestnut hair as she laid her head against my chest and took a deep breath. "You don't have to go. I just wasn't expecting that."

I didn't want to beg, but I wasn't above it either.

"I understand," she murmured against me. "But you have to understand why I have to walk away. I've done this before, Emmett. I fucked up and now I have to pay for it."

"How did you fuck up?" I asked, holding the tops of her arms and pulling her away so I could see her eyes. "I'm the fuck who went through a hundred accusations in my head."

"Accusations?"

I hung my head, not wanting her to see how conceited I really was, because in all honesty, that's what it came down to. I believed that she'd come into this wanting something from me. When in reality, she was just trying to escape her life with a guy she'd probably liked up till about five minutes ago.

"Emmett, it doesn't matter. I should've walked away the moment you started talking about my dad and his music, but I was too selfish to give up my time with you. I though it may be different, I thought that conveniently forgetting to mention it would make it easier to just be myself," she laughed coldly and looked away. "I guess it was a bigger part of my life than I thought. And now . . . Now, I will never know what could have been."

Okay, now I was confused. I'd honestly had one of the best days of my life and now we were getting lost in semantics.

"What are you saying, exactly?"

"Nothing," she said, swallowing hard and stepping forward. She pushed up onto her toes and cupped my cheeks, tugging gently on the sides of my face until my lips met hers. The kiss was soft and gentle and filled with a longing I felt in every square inch of my body. "Thank you for a perfect day. I won't forget this."

Then she was gone, the heavy oak door swinging closed behind her and cold air replacing the place her body had occupied. I'd been so lost in her lips I hadn't noticed her stepping away. Shit, I'd been lost in her since the moment I saw her and now she was gone. What the fuck just happened?

I made it to the door in four steps and pulled it open; the rain was heavy pounding off the sidewalk. All I could see was the shape of Bella, huddled over herself as she sprinted toward the street where I new the cable car lines were. She was running away from me, from this situation we found ourselves in. Only I found I couldn't let her do it. I couldn't let her go. I didn't care who she was or who her dad was, all I cared about was the day we'd spent together and how it was the most significant day I'd ever spent with a woman.

I wanted to get to know her. I wanted the opportunity to take her out on dates, to see her cry at sappy movies, to kick her ass at a game of pool. I wanted to hear her stories, know her political stances and hear her laugh again.

In one fucking day she'd made me want her with more longing than I'd even realized I was capable of.

"Bella!"

She didn't stop or slow down; she huddled closer into herself and moved faster into the cool rain. I stepped out and cursed the towel I was wearing. As much as it killed me, running out in a towel wasn't going to help matters.

I slammed the door shut and pulled on the clothes strewn across the floor; spitting expletives as I pulled the wrong shoe on the wrong foot in my haste. I was wasting more time and I was getting pissed at myself. If I'd just shrugged off the name, if I'd acted as though it hadn't mattered, because it didn't, she would have stayed and none of this bullshit would have been an issue, but I was the dickhead who froze and immediately went into mental accusations. Accusations I knew had absolutely no substance to them.

I was an idiot and I was losing my window of opportunity.

"Bax, stay."

I patted my pockets looking for my keys before pulling open the door and slamming it closed on my way out. The rain fell relentlessly in heavy drops, soaking me from head to toe; my shoes became saturated as I splashed through puddles on my way to the cable car line. None of it was enough to deter me though, I was well aware of what I was doing now, I wasn't hiding behind the excuse that women wanted me because of my name or what I could offer, I wasn't hiding behind my business.

I'd finally met a chick who made me sit up and pay attention, and fuck me, if she could do that in twenty four hours I could only imagine what she could do in a week or a month let a lone a year. The only catch was, if I didn't find her, I would never fucking know. There were no guarantees I would catch her at the hotel again, there was no guarantees of anything. I had to make a point, a grand fucking gesture of epic proportions and make it count. I wanted the opportunity to show her that I wanted to get to know her, and not, as I slowly came to realize, her father.

Sure, Charlie Swan had been a hero of mine for a long ass time, I'd grown up listening to his music, and shit I'd lusted after her mom when I was a teenager, what teenage guy hadn't, but I didn't give a shit about any of that. Bella had made an impression on me long before I knew who she was or what her fucking name was. If I could catch her, I could tell her that. It didn't mean everything would be 'hey presto' back to perfect, but at least she'd know. At least I could redeem my dick move.

I jogged toward the main line of the cable car and ducked my head against the now driving rain. The water was cold as it fell against me, but I was determined to stop Bella before she got on the damn cable car and left without giving me a chance to say what I really needed to say.

It was fucking typical; all the words I hadn't been able to find when she was in front of me came pouring into my head like a steam roller as I picked up my pace. It would have been so easy to say: Renee Swan? Really? I loved her in that movie with John Cusak. Insensitive? Yes. Better than the silent stare? Yes. Or sympathetic: Bella, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how hard it is to have to go through that. Avoiding the issue? Yes. Better than the silent stare? Yes.

What wasn't coming was what I was going to say when I finally caught up to her.

I was planning on some ingenious line of reasoning coming into my head when I got there, but in all honesty I knew better than all that. I wasn't good with words when it came to how I felt. My mom had always told me how impossible I was at saying what I felt. I couldn't let that stop me this time. If I looked like an ass then I looked like an ass, but at least she'd know how I felt.

I looked up toward the street and saw Bella stood at the cross light, one arm wrapped around her waist while another wiped under her eyes, making me feel even more like the fucktard I knew I was. The prick I had been. I'd never wanted to make her cry, and the thought that I'd been the one to cause it actually crushed me.

"Bella!"

She looked up and behind her as I jogged toward her, I'd expected her to wait, to at least hear me out, but she darted into traffic so quickly the squeal of tires against wet asphalt sounded like a siren in the gentle patter of rain. My heart hammering in my throat as my feet skidded to a halt in a puddle, my hands running through my wet hair as I prayed the car had missed her.

It wasn't until I saw her hit the other curb in dead sprint that I found myself able to breathe easily again.

She obviously didn't want to talk to me. Normally that would have been enough to make me turn around and go home, but I couldn't force myself to leave without saying something, without having the chance to tell her that it wasn't who her father or mother was that interested me. It was her. I wanted the chance to get to know her.

Since I'd seen her in the hotel that first night it had been about her. Every time I saw her my heart sped up and stampeded, never knowing what she would say or do next. The way she smoked when she drank, her goofy dance moves and the way her head fell back as she gave off a full belly laugh.

I'd noticed so much about her because I was constantly aware of her. Fuck I sounded more and more like a girl as I thought about her, but I was fucked if I cared. As long as she heard me out that was all I could do. Right now she was under the impression that everything I was doing was to get closer to her family and she couldn't be more fucking wrong if she tried.

I sprinted to the crossing light and stepped off the curb only to be pushed a step back as a car flew past me splashing me with the cumulating puddle of water by the side of the road.

"Fucktard!"

I tried again but was met with the same fate, and was left smashing the button on the post to get a walk signal since none of these bastards seemed willing to slow down. Not that they should have to.

My clothes were saturated as I bounced against the curb waiting for the traffic to slow. How Bella had got so lucky was beyond me. Four attempts at crossing and each had made me retreat back to the curb as another car flew along the street. It was just my fucking luck.

Then the cherry on top of it all came trundling along the street. The only mobile historical monument and the new bane of my existence.

"You have got to be fucking with me."

Throwing caution to the wind I jogged across the lanes of traffic dodging cars as they honked and kept going. Apparently, not being a chick meant I was shit out of luck with the break situation, instead they swerved around me and gave me the one fingered wave.

I made it to the other side undamaged and raced along the sidewalk, heart hammering as I beat the cable car with time to spare.

"Bella!"

Damn she looked good wet, her hair stuck to her cheeks and neck in little tendrils as the rest let droplets form and fall down her back and over her chest. Her shirt, just as saturated as my own clung to her curves, making her amazing body visible to the whole world. I was ready to wrap myself around her so no one could see what I along had had the privilege of seeing.

"Emmett, go home."

"Why are you walking away from this?"

She shivered delicately and leaned her head against the pole that was next to her, her skin was like porcelain under the drops of water and I couldn't help but notice how tired she looked, even with her red rimmed eyes.

I put my hand on her shoulder and pulled her against me, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and hoping I would have a least a couple of minutes to gather my thoughts and say what I needed to say. For one brief second she let herself relax against me, her hands gripping my shirt in little fistfuls as she took gulping breaths.

"Bella, I'm so sorry, I wanted to tell you that . . ."

"Emmett, let it go," she sighed, pushing away and squeezing my hand as she gave me one last wistful look before climbing onto the stopping cable car and disappearing inside. Leaving me standing alone and wordless once again.

I had one last chance, one last option before she was gone. I pulled out my phone and typed in exactly as I felt.

**_Bella, You have NO idea how fast my heart races when I see YOU.  
_  
**I hit send, hoping it was enough of a gesture to make her at least send me a message back.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


	10. Emprise

**_All Things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer. The Pictures belong to their respective owners, and the songs and lyrics belong to the artists and the their respective record labels. The rest came from mah brain . . . Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge ;)_**

* * *

**Emprise  
**

_I can't find my way anymore  
And I  
Cannot heal the wounds I've created  
And I can't let go  
Of what's killing me  
**Reverie by Megan McCauley**___

* * *

**Bella . . .**

* * *

He'd come after me.

That was the thought running through my head as I fell into the seat at the back of the cable car. My heart was pounding so heavily in my chest I was certain it was going to show through my saturated shirt.

No guy had ever come after me before. I'd said goodbye often, and Emmett was the first to fight my decision to bail. It would have been so easy to stay with him; it's what I wanted after all. I may be able to hide that from him but there was never any lying to myself. Walking away was probably the hardest thing I'd done in a long time and regret was ebbing through my body.

I'd told him to let it go before I'd walked away. It was ironic last words from me considering I wouldn't be letting it go for a long time. He'd somehow manage to wriggle his way in somewhere around the vicinity of my sternum, and as I sat here shivering on the cable car I knew it wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

Twenty-four hours with him and I'd seen a future I hadn't even considered before. He made me feel alive, more than I had in a long time. The only other person in my life that had given me the opportunity to be myself and feel like I actually had a life was my best friend Alice. Yet, here I was walking away. Even though I knew I would never have an opportunity like this again.

Sue had said so many times that you just knew when you found someone you clicked with. It was an impulse, a deeply ingrained sense of right, and I knew I'd found that in Emmett.

It still didn't make it the right thing to do though. My life was too complicated, too twisted and discombobulated to drag someone into it. Even if I wanted to stay, and I did, there was never any guarantee it would work. I couldn't just think about myself. I had to think about dad and Sue. If I stayed with Emmett and chose to give up my life with dad, he would be stuck on the ranch and my biggest fear was he'd give up.

He loved Sue; I had no doubt in my mind about that. She was good for him too, but he lived for these small tours, and I couldn't take that away from him. Add to that the fact that I would never know if Emmett really wanted me for me, and I was lost. I didn't think I could stand to be rejected by the one person I'd finally connected with.

I ran my hands down my face in frustration, realizing quickly that I was not only thinking in circles, but I was talking myself out of this every time I even tried to imagine going back to him. It wasn't until my phone chirped beside me that I realized how lost in thought I'd been.

Emmett's name stared at me from the top of the text and I found myself afraid to look down at the message, wondering if he'd finally accepted my goodbye and was giving me one in turn. It seemed unfair that it hurt to think of it that way, but it was no less than I deserved.

My eyes scanned down further and my heart leaped into my throat as the words registered somewhere in my chest.

_**Bella, You have NO idea how fast my heart races when I see YOU.**_

I read the words at least four times in my head before swinging around in my seat and staring out the back window into the falling rain. I could see Emmett standing in the rain, his head hanging as he looked down at the phone in his hands. My imagination took off in my head, I could almost see the way the water defined his curls, the droplets that formed on the tips and slid down his face as those blue eyes pleaded and begged me to listen to what he was saying.

I was a fool.

I was making excuses because I was afraid to get hurt, but the truth was; I was already hurting. One day and I was more lost than I had ever been. Was that even possible? To have a connection with someone so profound that spending a day with them can change the way you look at your whole life?

Was I using my dad as an excuse to not live life, like Leah had accused me of so many times? It was so easy for her; she never had the inclination to leave the ranch and search for something more because she had everything she needed at her fingertips. She'd been in love with Sam for as long as I could remember and they were now engaged. Sam Uley, once our foreman, was now becoming part of the family. The way it always had been. I hadn't realized until now why Leah was so content.

It wasn't as though I was in love with Emmett, I didn't know him well enough for all of that, but the want I had when I thought about him was enough to make me realize that there was a possibility of that down the road if I made and an effort and gave the two of us a chance to take it.

My eyes found Emmett again; he still stood where he had been since I'd walked away. An unmoving sentry watching as the cable car took away any possibility of a chance.

Did he feel the same way?

His text made it clear that he was thinking about me, not my dad or who he was. It wasn't about my name. The emphasized 'you' at the end was clearly trying to tell me that he liked me. But did I trust that enough to go back, to take a chance?

The car took a corner cutting my view of Emmett off completely. It wasn't until I felt an ache at the loss that I finally came to my senses. I'd found something worth fighting for and I was running away. I was quitting because of the possibility of being hurt.

I'd always played it so safe, but I refused to do that now. I deserved to be happy. I had to stop putting fear and other people's needs in front of my own. I had to take a chance.

I shivered as the cold breeze came rumbling through the car, but it didn't deter me. I stood up on wobbly legs and pulled the cord to stop the cable car.

Scared shitless, I paced the small aisle unless the damn car slowed to a stop. The minute it took to stop completely felt like a damn century to me, and I was about ready to leap from the moving vehicle, even if I did fall flat on my face on the wet street. At least it would get me moving before I turned chicken shit and changed my mind again.

Thankfully, the moment my feet hit solid ground I took off at a dead run toward the corner. I prayed Emmett would still be there waiting, but if he wasn't I wouldn't give up and turn around. I'd already made my decision and I knew myself well enough to realize I wouldn't back down that easily. I knew where his house was, I'd make my way there.

My feet hit a slick patch as I came to the corner and I slid around it, fighting for traction. There were people everywhere with umbrella's and I couldn't see if Emmett was still there, I had at least half a mile to run before I knew for certain.

My heart was galloping ahead of me and I was fighting to catch my breath. Every time I blinked all I saw was the rejection on Emmett's face. It wasn't how I wanted to remember him, and I knew it wouldn't be, if I could just get through this fucking crowd.

The people were shoulder to shoulder on the streets and the black and reds of umbrellas was like a canopy of trees in the air. I gave up on trying to be polite as I pushed through them, using my body like a battering ram as I shouldered them out of my way.

'Please be there,' became a mantra in my head as I was shuffled and cursed through the bodies. It was like walking in New York fucking City. Californians were supposed to be laid back, but somehow I'd managed to get the impatient bastards on their way home from work.

"Excuse me," I sang, twisting and winding and ducking evil pointed edges of umbrellas.

I finally gave up and hit the edge of the street, propelling myself off the curb and running parallel to it so I could go flat out again. My eyes scanned the spot that I'd last seen him standing in and my heart fell like a dead weight in my chest. I pushed harder swearing to myself I wouldn't give up and let my eyes move to the crossing sign.

My breath choked me the moment I saw his figure standing defeated there. He was waiting for the cross light and I wanted to get there before the light changed so I wouldn't lose my nerve. I needed to be honest with him, give him all the facts so he could make up his own mind. maybe it was a moot point. Maybe he'd realize how fucked up I was and would push me away.

"Emmett!"

The irony of this situation wasn't lost on me. It was exactly the same situation as we'd been in while he chased me. The difference was he turned, and the moment he saw me, hope lit up his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I panted as I slid to a stop in front of him, suddenly feeling awkward. The cold rain was still falling with as much gusto as it had been when I'd left his house and both of us were probably looking as good as drowned cats at the moment. Not that I cared.

"You came back."

"I couldn't leave, Emmett. All my life I've been running away from having to feel something. I've been hiding behind my dad, my friends, my mom's death. I thought one day with you would be like any other, that I could walk away and just be thankful for that one moment of feeling wanted. But I couldn't do it," I mumbled, my voice cracking as my eyes welled with tears. "I don't know how, or why, but I can't let you go. I don't want to let you go."

I looked down at my hands as they twisted together, the water falling over my skin. I couldn't look at his blue eyes yet, I couldn't see the scene I'd envisioned that first time I'd looked back because I would lose everything I was trying to say.

"I'm not saying that things will magically work out, I just want to try. I left out something while I told you about the tattoo. I said I got it because I knew I was stronger than her, because I wasn't my mother; but Emmett, I'm terrified that I am. I've spent so long pushing away anything that could hurt me, that I forgot what it was like to feel anything. I was numb, right up until the moment I met you."

I expected him to laugh and call me a corny bitch, and my cynicism kept playing out scenarios of him saying he just wanted to get laid, before running away screaming; but he surprised me, and it wasn't in the bad sense either.

"You're not the only one who's pushed people away, Bella. I'm guilty of it too. Those accusations I talked about, they weren't all that nice and it wasn't until you walked out the door that I realized I was trying to push you away."

"I guess we're both idiots then." I smirked, stepping closer. "I would like to get to know you better, Emmett, but there are things you should know about me. I'm fucked up, I heard the conversation that went on between my mom and dad the night she died, I sat on the stairs and watched as she ran from the room. My dad's blamed himself since the day she died, he's never sang one of his songs since. He lives for our small tours because in some tiny way it takes him back to when he was happiest. I . . ." I paused wondering how to say what I really felt without looking like some crazy bitch. "I would very much like to stay in San Fran to spend more time with you, but I can't drop my life to do it."

This time Emmett stepped closer, his hand gripping mine and squeezing gently. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, Bella. No kid should have to see something like that, but you're not her. You deserve to be happy; you deserve to live your life the way you want to. You can't keep punishing yourself because of what happened."

He pulled me into his arms, against his wet chest, and I couldn't help but melt into the embrace. I let him hold my weight as I silently let his words sink in. I knew he was right, I'd always blamed myself for what happened that night, and I'd seen all of these tours with dad as retribution for what I'd done to him. I enjoyed our tours as much as he did, but I'd put my life on hold, pushed away everything so that I could make him my first priority.

I felt selfish for wanting more, but at the same time I knew I couldn't live this way because I wasn't living, I was existing. How Emmett had picked up on that in such a small amount of time with minimal information was beyond me, but maybe it was because he really did understand me.

"I should probably confess something myself," he said quietly into my wet hair. "My name is Emmett McCarty, my cousin and I are partners in Grizzly Records."

Well slap me on the ass and color me surprised. I actually knew his name, it hadn't even occurred to me to put it together even while we were with Rosalie and her band. Well at least their cautionary looks made more sense now.

"That explains a lot," I sighed, looking up at him and finally meeting the pools of his eyes. "I wondered why everyone looked so wary when I started to sing."

Emmett grinned, the side of his lips curling up as his arms wrapped tighter around me. "They were only looking out for me. I have been royally fucked over before."

"I think it's sweet," I mused taking a breath of the early evening air. "So where does this leave us Mr. McCarty?"

"How about we go out on a real date and take it from there?"

I laughed and stepped back, looking up at him with expectation.

"Miss Swan, I was hoping you would accompany me on a date this evening, it is a Friday night after all," he said smiling, his hands moving to mine and holding them gently.

"It's Friday?"

"Yeah, why?"

"What time is it?"

"Almost six, why?"

I grinned, I should be panicked, but I couldn't bring myself to find the emotion. "I'm afraid if you would like a date tonight you're going to have to come to the show first. You wanna meet my dad?"

I had to give him credit; he tried to hide his excitement with a look of fear and anticipation. What he didn't realize, was that my fears had already been disproved in one small text message.

I gripped his hand in mine and tugged him across the street that had almost slowed completely now the lights had finally changed. It was like a sign, a path that I had been afraid to follow finally getting cleared so I could take it. I was still scared of getting hurt, but it was a risk I was willing to take, because Emmett was right. I wasn't my mother.

My mother with her flare for the dramatic had always been imbalanced, and Dad had never really been happy since her death, not until he met Sue anyway. They'd made their choices and now I was making mine. I'd known Emmett for less than twenty-four hours and I knew this was crazy, but I had a chance at happiness and I was going to grip it with both hands. Without taking a chance I would never live my life.

Emmett was the one I wanted to take a chance on. He could break my heart, if I ever gave it to him, but I wanted to take the risk. I was willing to take the leap, because in this one glorious day with him, a future had rolled out in front of me and I could taste happiness. Something I had never found before.

* * *

_**A/N: Well that's the ending . . . I hope it was enough of a springboard that you can see their lives unfold in front of them. I know it's not ideal, 24 hours and then leaving them to their fate, but I figured that it was best this way. Thank you all so much for your support during this little challenge. I had a blast writing it, even if I wasn't sure about some of the things! Every one of you made me feel a lot better about it and I appreciate that. You guys are AWESOME!  
**_

_**Thanks to Miztrezboo for the challenge. it came about due to me finishing Privileged and having to wait for NaNoWriMo to come around. All of the Pictures and information can be found on the blog, just remove the spaces: challengedme. blogspot. com**_

_**Thank you to both Hev99 and Cravingtwilight. I somehow managed to accumulate two amazing beta's. You guys have made this better so thank you :)**_

_**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I was blown away by your response to the little ditty! You're all awesome! Love you guys!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Much love & Huge Hugs ~Weezy~**_


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